Passing Thunderstorms Ignite Multiple Fires in Northeast Oregon and Southeast Washington

 

JOHN DAY, PENDLETON, BAKER CITY, and LA GRANDE, Ore. - Fire crews in northeast Oregon and southeast Washington are responding to reports of smoke and fire following passing thunderstorms Saturday and Sunday. Approximately 40 incidents have been reported so far to the Blue Mountain Interagency Dispatch Center and John Day Interagency Dispatch Center.

Local initial attack resources have been busy responding to these incidents with support from aerial resources. Additional smoke reports are likely to be detected throughout the next few days as temperatures warm and fire activity increases. Aerial reconnaissance, nighttime thermal detection aircraft, and fire lookouts are assisting with detection efforts.

Current fire danger across the Blue Mountains ranges from HIGH to EXTREME. As fire danger increases, restrictions are put in place to reduce the risk of a human-caused wildfire by prohibiting certain activities, such as campfires, chainsaw use, off-road driving, and smoking. Public Use Restrictions are in effect involving campfires, chainsaw use, off-road driving, and smoking. For lands protected by Oregon Department of Forestry (ODF) in northeast and central Oregon, regulated closures have been implemented. Please check with your local Oregon Department of Forestry office for PURs on lands protected by ODF. Similar restrictions may also be in effect on State and private lands protected by the Washington Department of Natural Resources (WA-DNR). More information can be found on the WA-DNR website at: http://www.dnr.wa.gov/. 

Please call 911 to report a wildfire.

For more information about Fire Danger Levels, Industrial Fire Precaution Levels, and Public Use Restrictions, please contact:

 

ODF, Northeast Oregon District

Phone: (541) 963-3168 or (541) 786-2039             

www.facebook.com/oregondeptofforestryNEO/                               

ODF Central Oregon District

Phone: (541) 263-0661

www.odfcentraloregon.com

 

Malheur National Forest:

Website: https://www.fs.usda.gov/malheur/  

Public Use Restriction Phone Line:  541-575-3113

John Day (541) 575-3000; Prairie City  (541) 820-3800; Hines(541) 573-4300 https://www.facebook.com/MalheurNationalForest

Twitter: @MalheurNF 

                                                                                               

Umatilla National Forest:

Toll-Free (877) 958-9663

https://www.fs.usda.gov/umatilla

Facebook: www.facebook.com/UmatillaNF

Twitter: @UmatillaNF

  

Wallowa-Whitman National Forest:

Website: https://www.fs.usda.gov/wallowa-whitman/

Baker City (541) 523-6391; La Grande (541) 962-8500; Joseph (541) 426-5546 www.facebook.com/WallowaWhitmanNF

Twitter: @WallowaWhitman

The latest fire information can be found by visiting the Blue Mountains Fire Information Blog (http://bluemountainfireinfo.blogspot.com/).

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