Boneyard Fire merges into Monkey Creek Fire

UKIAH, Ore. – Overnight, the Boneyard Fire merged into the Monkey Creek Fire, now only referred to as the Monkey Creek Fire. Fire officials zoned the Battle Mountain Complex into Zones I and II, with ODF Incident Management Team 1 managing the west portion of the complex and ODF Incident Management Team 3 managing the east. Both teams are in constant coordination and communication.

In Zone II, firefighters continued to see active fire behavior, slop overs and spot fires across the south of the fire overnight. Crews are focused on the southeast corner of the fire, where they are focused on fire suppression and constructing lines.

Along the south, structural taskforces built defensible space and provided direct suppression around homes and outbuildings. Overnight, the fire moved across Highway 402 and into the John Day Middle Fork, Pass Creek and Long Creek drainages and flats.

Along Highway 395 and the northeast edge of the fire, crews will continue firing operations down to the roadway, and the Oregon Department of Transportation will continue removing hazard trees along the road. Tree removal will continue over the coming days with heavy equipment using the roadway.

Firefighters may see a slight reprieve in temperatures, but still hot conditions, as winds come in from the west and southwest. Conditions will bring more humidity but also increased wind gusts.

The 4,485-acre North Fork Owens Fire is now 50% contained (the complex stands at 5% containment).

The Battle Mountain Complex consists of the North Fork Owens and Monkey Creek Fires – two of 17 fires in northeast Oregon that started in the late afternoon and evening of July 17, 2024. The Snake Fire merged with the Monkey Creek Fire on July 22, 2024, and the Boneyard Fire merged with Monkey Creek Fire on July 25, 2024.

Evacuations: Level 1 (Be Ready), Level 2 (Be Set) and Level 3 (Go Now) evacuations are in effect. For updated information, visit:

• For Umatilla County, follow facebook.com/UmatillaCountySheriff or sign up for Umatilla County Emergency Alert System at https://member.everbridge.net/index/2590041373147145.
• For Grant County, visit the RAPTOR arcgis site or sign up for alerts at: https://member.everbridge.net/index/825462649520134.
• For Morrow Couty, visit https://experience.arcgis.com/experience/
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