Containment reaches 43% as mop-up operations continue

UKIAH, Ore. – Containment on the Battle Mountain Complex grew to 43%, as firefighters expanded mop-up operations overnight and into today. Mop-up consists of firefighters working around the perimeter of the fire and into the burn to extinguish lingering hot spots to create a cooled buffer so that materials don’t reheat and cross control lines. 

Today, firefighters will take advantage of favorable north winds to conduct burnout operations around Ellis Creek, within the Potamus drainage. Burning the vegetation up to control lines ensures that materials burn at a lower intensity than if they burned uncontrolled. This also removes potential fuels up to control features along the ridgetops where it’s flatter, more defensible and easier to patrol through the summer.

Today, crews will also expand suppression repair work along more portions of the perimeter. Suppression repair work consists of knocking down berms built by bulldozers and using waterbars to divert runoff to minimize potential soil erosion.

Residents should continue to expect to see some smoke in the interior of the fire perimeter as unburnt vegetation burns well within the fire’s footprint. Crews will patrol the fire perimeter throughout the summer.

Today is the Oregon Department of Forestry’s Incident Management Team 3’s twenty first and last day on the Battle Mountain Complex. The Southwest Complex Incident Management Team 3 will take command of the fire tonight at 6:00 pm.

Evacuations: Learn more about current evacuation levels at:

• For Umatilla County, follow www.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 County, visit https://experience.arcgis.com/
  experience/de78333b0d2544f7a320142174aa20ae

Public Land Closures:

The Bureau of Land Management has closed public lands along the John Day River from Kimberly to Dale, and from Kimberly to Service Creek. More information here: https://www.blm.gov/programs/public-safety-and-fire/fire-and-aviation/regional-info/oregon-washington/fire-restrictions.

The Umatilla National Forest has implemented a closure for public lands within the Heppner Ranger District and the North Fork John Day Ranger District. More information at: https://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/umatilla/news-events/?cid=FSEPRD1194462 and https://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/umatilla/alerts-notices/?cid=stelprdb5286768.

FIRE AT A GLANCE

Total Estimated Complex Size: 182,241 acres

Monkey Creek Fire: 177,757 acres

North Fork Owens:  4,484 acres

Total Containment 43%

Cause:   Under Investigation   

Estimated Cost:   $54,099,124

All Resources

Hand Crews:  55            

Engines:  70      

Water Tenders:  39

Dozers:  24

Helicopters:  8
Total Personnel: 1,805