FRIDAY MORNING UPDATE: COW VALLEY FIRE

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NOTE: The Enterprise is providing free access to its fire and weather coverage as a community service during this emergency.

Oregon state officials are sending help and an evacuation center has been established at the Malheur County Fairgrounds as the Cow Valley Fire continued burning out of control Friday after racing across rangeland and threatening homes.

The human-caused wildfire started Thursday morning on private land east of Ironside, a rural ranching community about 45 miles northwest of Vale. Pushed by erratic winds all day, the fire moved several miles east toward Brogan in a matter of hours. As of late Thursday night, authorities estimated the fire had burned over 20,000 acres ­– 30 square miles of private and public rangeland that provides grazing for cattle. Fire authorities reported “extreme fire behavior” that included “running, spotting, flanking” in two-foot-high grasses and shrubs.

The rapid movement of the fire prompted officials to put on roadblocks on U.S. Highway 26 Thursday evening, shutting down the east-west route at the community of Ironside at milepost 231 and at the north edge of Brogan at milepost 254.

Developments as of Friday, July 12:

•An emergency shelter has been set up at the Malheur County Fairgrounds with room for livestock and RVs, according to the Malheur County Emergency Management.

•The closure of the highway through Cow Valley will remain in place Friday. Motorists will have to detour around the closure by going north on Interstate 84 or using U.S. Highway 20. Oregon TripCheck on the web provides the latest highway information.

•Two task forces of firefighters from agencies in western Oregon were dispatched to Malheur County late Thursday, assigned to protect homes and structures.

•The weather will continue to be hot on Friday, with high temperatures peaking above 100. The National Weather Service also warned the area could face thunderstorms with “abundant lightning” Saturday afternoon into Sunday. Malheur County is under a fire watch starting at noon Saturday, July 13.

•Fire crews continue to work on two other wildfires in Malheur County. The Bonita fire, burning southeast of Ironside, had covered 1,867 acres and was reported Thursday. The River fire, burning near the Owyhee Dam, had covered 2,812 acres with containment lines built around about 75% of that fire.

HELP US REPORT: If you have direct information about this or other fires or photographs, please email Editor Les Zaitz – [email protected].

The full story published Friday morning:

malheurenterprise.com
UPDATE: State sending help to guard homes against out-of-control Cow Valley Fire
COW VALLEY FIRE: A human-caused fire has burned more than 30 square miles of rangeland between Ironside and Brogan and remains out of control on Friday, July 12. An emegency…
12 Jul 2024
malheurenterprise.com
UPDATE: State sending help to guard homes against out-of-control Cow Valley Fire
COW VALLEY FIRE: A human-caused fire has burned more than 30 square miles of rangeland between Ironside and Brogan and remains out of control on Friday, July 12. An emegency…
12 Jul 2024

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