Wildfire spread back into Malheur County Friday, prompting a new round of evacuation notices from Brogan to Willowcreek in an area stretching from U.S. Highway 26 east to Interstate 84.
And forecasters warn of a windy day on Saturday followed by a weather front moving into Malheur County that on Sunday will bring lightning with little to no rain.
“The risk for significant fire is very high,” according to the national wildfire website. “With fire danger as high as it is, multiple ignitions from lightning will challenge initial attack.”
The Durkee Fire, started by lightning in Baker County three days ago, burned into Malheur County, with one edge having little room to grow as it reaches the burned area from the the largely contained Cow Valley Fire.
But the fire also flanked the rural community of Brogan, which just a week ago was fighting for its life against the Cow Valley Fire. Brogan itself was not under an evacuation notice as of Saturday morning. A dozer line had been cut around the town last week and irrigated farmland now green with crops also serves as a fire buffer.
“The fire moved south pretty significantly,” said Jessica Reed, a public information specialist with Northwest Team 6, the federal fire management team. “The fire is expected to be pretty active today.”
She said the Durkee Fire also grew north, crossing the Burnt River in Baker County.
As of early Saturday, the fire had covered 24,269 acres.
Jonathan Chriest, a National Weather Service meteorologist assigned to the incident team in Vale, said a weather disturbance will move over Malheur County late this weekend. He said he expects lightning on Sunday that should stay south of the Cow Valley Fire.
He said the main lightning event will be on Monday, ranging from Malheur County north into Baker County. He said he doesn’t anticipate any wetting rain from what he termed a “short-wave trough.”
“Once it approaches, it’s not going anywhere fast,” Chriest said in an interview.
Key resources:
OFFICIAL INFORMATION:
Malheur County Sheriff’s Office: Facebook page with updates
Malheur County Emergency Management: Facebook page with updates
Fire command team: Facebook page with updates
Oregon Department of Emergency Services: Evacuation map – statewide
SIGN UP FOR NOTICES: Malheur County signup
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