Firefighters making progress on Salmon & Olive Butte fires, evacuation levels reduced
By Logan Bagett on Wednesday, July 22nd, 2026 in Eastern/Southeast Oregon News Eastern/Southeast Oregon Top Stories Northeastern Oregon News Northeastern Oregon Top Stories
GREENHORN / GRANITE, OR – (UPDATE 7/22 @ 9:15 a.m. from NW Team 12)
Northwest Team 12
Salmon Fire
July 22, 2026
Fire Information: (541) 407-5475, 8 AM – 8 PM
Total Resources: 44 engines; 37 crews; 39 heavy equipment; 33 water tenders; 4 helicopters; 1,313 personnel
NW Team 12 will be hosting a community meeting in-person at Prairie City High School tomorrow at 6 PM. The meeting will also be streamed virtually on the Salmon Fire OR 2026 Facebook. The community is encouraged to submit questions ahead of time via email to ensure team members can address them in their presentations.
Salmon Fire: Size: 1,433 acres | Start Date: July 8, 2026 | Cause: Lightning | Containment: 35%
Fire crews made steady progress in mop-up operations throughout many areas of the fire and installed sprinkler systems to extinguish remaining areas of smoldering woody debris, minimizing the need for firefighters to work beneath hazardous trees. Fire crews continue to work with heavy equipment and chippers as they reduce fuels along roads serving as control lines. Hotshots continue securing the fire’s edge in the North Fork John Day Wilderness, working toward one another constructing handline from both the north and the south. Firefighters will backhaul and return to region fire caches excess hoses, pumps, and portable water tanks to be refurbished and made ready for use on other incidents. Mop-up operations will continue today as firefighters work deeper into the burned area, extinguishing remaining hot spots to further secure the fire. Yesterday the Salmon Fire sent a helicopter to assist with water bucket drops on other area fires.
Olive Butte Fire: Size: 3,010 acres | Start Date: July 8, 2026 | Cause: Lightning | Containment: 30%
Light morning rain and higher humidity cooled areas of the fire yesterday leaving only scattered heat and subdued fire behavior. Dozers completed fireline along the northernwestern flank, tying into handline that firefighters constructed off of FS Road 13. Fire crews also lined and secured small fires that spotted over the handline. Hotshots are making progress in constructing direct handline in Lost Boy Gulch and are expecting to complete this fireline today. Fire crews are engaging in mop-up operations in multiple areas of the fire, adding depth to firelines and reducing fuels along roads with chippers. Firefighters are also backhauling excess structure protection equipment and signage as the threat to the nearby communities continues to diminish.
Weather and Smoke: Temperatures are forecasted to be 83-86 degrees today with winds NW 5-9 mph in the morning with gusts to 12 mph after 1 PM. There is a chance of showers and thunderstorms today. The NE Oregon Daily Smoke Outlook is available on the Oregon Smoke Information page that covers the Salmon and Olive Butte Fires. For the latest information regarding smoke and air quality, check AirNow Fire and Smoke Map.
Evacuations: Residents should be prepared for changes in evacuation levels as fire conditions can change. Baker County Sheriff’s Office recently reduced evacuation levels for the Granite and Greenhorn communities. Heavy equipment and fire vehicles are still working in these areas, so please drive with caution and be alert for unexpected fire traffic on narrow roads. To sign up for notifications in your area, visit Grant County Everbridge or Baker County Alert.
Closures and Safety: The Salmon and Olive Butte Fire Area Closure and map has been updated.The public is asked to avoid the fire closure area for everyone’s safety and to facilitate firefighting efforts. There is a Temporary Flight Restriction (TFR) over the fire area. Unauthorized drone activity is prohibited under this TFR, as firefighting helicopters and aircraft cannot fly when drones are present.
InciWeb: https://inciweb.wildfire.gov/incident-information/orumf-salmon-fire
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SalmonFireOR2026
Salmon Fire Information: (541) 407-5475, 8 AM – 8 PM Email: 2026.salmon@firenet.gov
Blue Mountains Fire Information: https://linktr.ee/2026.bluemountainfires
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(UPDATE 7/21 @ 2:45 p.m. from the Baker County Sheriff’s Office) Evacuation levels for both the Salmon Fire OR 2026 and Olive Butte Fire have been reduced to Level 2 (BE SET) for the community of Greenhorn and the area west of Granite. Maps are attached.
