NOTE: The Enterprise is making coverage of this fire information available to all because of the emergency circumstances.
VALE – Flash floods are forecast with heavy thunderstorms, Wednesday, July 24, in the Cow Valley and Durkee burn scars, according to the National Weather Service.
Residents in the recent burn scar areas are advised to watch for debris and mud flow with the expected heavy rainfall tomorrow.
Meanwhile additional resources are expected to pour into the region after the Federal Emergency Management Agency announced Tuesday, July 23, that it would funnel federal dollars to the region to battle the fast-moving Durkee Fire after the blaze was classified as a “major disaster.”
Also, Vale Bureau of Land Management crews are responding to a collection of fires triggered by lightning east of Interstate 84 between Crandall Creek and Richland in Baker County.
The group of fires is now called the Badlands Complex and consists of the Crandall, Gold Creek, Thompson, North Thompson, Wood Creek, Williams Creek, Daly, Sheep Mountain, Chalk, Timber Canyon, Powder and Coyote blazes.
As of the morning of Tuesday, July 22, the Thompson, North Thompson, Crandall and Gold Creek fires merged and are estimated at 10,000 acres five miles east of Durkee, according to the BLM.
The Coyote Fire is between the Snake River and Snake River Road, 5 miles southeast of Richland and is estimated to be at 1,500 acres.
According to the BLM, the Daly Fire, 11 miles northeast of Durkee and the Chalk Fire 5 miles southeast of Richland were contained Monday night.
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