UPDATE: 9:45 a.m. Tuesday, Sept. 3 – Officials report the Jones Fire still covers 3,800 acres. The blaze laid down some overnight due to cooler temperatures and higher humidity, according to Larisa Bogardus of the Vale District BLM. Bogardus said aviation would be on fire today.
UPDATE: 5:30 p.m. Monday, Sept. 2 – Officials report the Jones Fire has now covered 3,800 acres.
UPDATE: 3 p.m. Monday, Sept. 2 – Fire commanders are using air resources to seek control of the Jones Fire. Four large tankers, eight single-engine air tankers and two helicopters have been assigned to the blaze. Ground crews are being shuttled in on UTVs, according to Larisa Bogardus of the Vale District BLM.
Fire crews and air tankers have responded to a wildfire southeast of Juntura that by Monday morning had covered 1,000 acres.
The Jones Fire was reported about 7 a.m. Monday, Sept. 2, about 10 miles east of Juntura in remote, rugged BLM rangeland. The area is about 45 miles west of Vale.
Because of the terrain, hand crews were hiking in to the scene in the area of Tims Peak, according to Larisa Bogardus of the Vale District BLM.
Fire engines also responded to a wildfire about 10 miles northwest of Ontario at Butterfly Gulch, along Interstate 84. By midafternoon Monday, the fire had covered 300 acres, according to fire officials.
The fires come after a round of thunderstorms moved through southeast Oregon overnight.
“A second round will develop this afternoon and then also move northeast through most of the area. Scattered lightning and wind gusts to 60 mph are expected. In addition, strong winds and low RH will develop across southern Burns and Vale BLM this afternoon,” the National Weather Service in Boise.
The agency issued a red flag warning for “critical fire weather conditions” through 9 p.m. Monday.
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