In the community

UPDATE: Huntington ordered evacuated, Interstate 84 closed under threat of Durkee Fire

 NOTE: The Enterprise is making coverage of this fire information available to all because of the emergency circumstances.

UPDATE: The Oregon Department of Transportation at around 8:30 a.m. Monday opened all of Interstate 84 and Oregon Highway 201. The freeway was closed Sunday night as a precaution as the Durkee Fire continued to spread but fire officials report Monday that it did not cross the freeway. The freeway eastbound had been closed from Pendleton to Ontario and completely closed from Ontario to Baker City.

UPDATE: 8:24 a.m. Monday, July 22: Interstate 84 eastbound was closed at Pendleton early Monday morning. An alternate route sometimes used by motorists is also closed. U.S. Highway 395 is closed in both directions from one mile north of Pilot Rock (14 miles south of Pendleton) to Long Creek in Grant County.

UPDATE: 8 a.m. Monday, July 22: The Durkee Fire grew by more than 30,000 acres in seven hours on Sunday, driving by erratic winds of up to 60 mph. The fire, however, did not cross Interstate 84.

The town of Huntington is under an evacuation order and Interstate 84 was closed from Ontario to Baker City Sunday night as thunderstorms impacted the still-growing Durkee Fire.

The American Red Cross on Sunday night again opened a fire victims shelter at the Malheur County Fairgrounds in Ontario.

The National Weather Service warned that another round of storms with “abundant lightning” could be expected on Monday, producing winds of up to 55 mph.

Thunderstorms moved through Malheur County Sunday afternoon and evening but there was no immediate information on whether new wildfires had been triggered.

The Durkee Fire was mapped at 143,000 acres Sunday afternoon, making it the largest wildfire burning in Oregon. By Sunday evening, the fire was mapped at 173,758 acres.

“This evening at approximately 7:04 p.m. thunderstorms moved through the area which caused the fire column to collapse, sending wind gusts in excess of 50 mph in all directions,” according to a Facebook post by the Baker County Sheriff’s Office.

The city of Huntington just before midnight posted to its Facebook page: “We have a veritable army of firefighters here to protect our town. Let’s keep them all in our thoughts and prayers. They plan to bulldoze a fire break around town.”

Jessica Reed, public information specialist with Northwest Team 6, said Monday morning that firefighters are working to establish fire control points on the east side of the fire and the northwest corner in the Bridgeport area. She said the fire made no movement from where crews stopped it about eight miles north of Vale.

Forecasters say another round of thunderstorms Monday afternoon are likely to again produce variable winds over the fire.

“We expect the winds to be earlier today,” Reed said.

The management team reported it had 565 people working on the fire with 43 engines, 14 fire crews, four water tenders, 10 dozers and two helicopters.

WHAT TO KNOW

Evacuations:

*In Baker County, Level 3 – “Go” – evacuation notices were issued for the Huntington and Rye Valley areas on Sunday evening. Level 3 went as far west as Bridgeport.

*In Malheur County, Level 3 evacuation notices remained in place for an area from Malheur Reservoir north. Areas east of Ironside were put on Level 2 – “Be set” – status and the community of Ironside itself was set at Level 1 –“Be ready.” Level 3 evacuation status remained in place for other portions of Malheur County from east of Brogan to just outside Vale, though fire officials say the fire has been stopped at around Willowcreek.

The Snake River Correctional Institution, the state’s largest prison north of Ontario, was not under any evacuation notice as of Sunday night. “For air quality inside the institution at SRCI, 64 air scrubbers have been placed throughout the institution,” said Amber Campbell, communications manager for the Oregon Department of Corrections in an email Monday, July 22.

Highways:

*Interstate 84 is closed entirely from Ontario to Baker City, according to TripCheck. Eastbound traffic is being stopped at LaGrande.

*Oregon Highway 201 is closed from near Weiser north to the Interstate 84 junction at milepost 356.

*U.S. Highway 26 going north from Vale remained open.

*Oregon Highway 245, the Dooley Mountain Highway, is closed to all but local traffic.

*The TripCheck website provides the current status of Oregon highways.

Shelter:

*The Malheur County Fairgrounds has been established as a shelter for fire victims, operated by the American Red Cross. The fairgrounds has room for livestock and RVs. For information, call 1-800-733-2767.

Weather forecast:

*The National Weather Service late Sunday issued a fire weather watch for the chance of more thunderstorms Monday afternoon and evening. The storms are forecast to be in the southern part of Malheur County and could again carry abundant lightning.

*The National Interagency Fire Center’s seven-day forecast issued Sunday for significant fire potential noted, “Lightning will continue to have moderate to high ignition efficiency, especially under drier thunderstorms. Initial attack will be challenged with strong hold over potential carrying into at least mid-week.”

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

The map of evacuation. notices as updated Sunday night by the Baker County Sheriff’s Office.