Salmon Fire Update - July 13, 2026

Northwest Team 12   

 Salmon Fire  

  July 13, 2026  

    Fire Information: (541) 407-5475, 8 AM - 8 PM  

 

Salmon Fire: Size: 1,304 acres | Start Date: July 8, 2026 | Cause: Lightning | Containment: 0%

Olive Butte Fire: Size: 1,720 acres | Start Date: July 8, 2026 | Cause: Lightning | Containment: 0%

Total personnel: 665 | Total Resources: 43 engines; 14 crews; 8 heavy equipment; 11 water tenders; 4 helos

NW Team 12 and OSFM are hosting a community meeting in-person at Prairie City High School today at 6 PM. The meeting will be streamed virtually on Salmon Fire OR 2026 Facebook. The community is encouraged to submit questions via email in advance to ensure team members can address them in their presentations. The Oregon State Fire Marshal (OSFM) under the Conflagration Act mobilized four structural task forces to provide structure protection in the communities of Granite, Greenhorn, and the surrounding areas. As numerous structures are under threat, task forces arrived on Saturday along with an Incident Management Team (Green Team) led by Incident Commander Lance Lighty in unified command with NW Team 12.

Slightly cooler temperatures and higher humidity helped to moderate fire behavior yesterday allowing firefighters to engage the fire directly in several areas of both the Salmon and Olive Butte Fires. Crews progressed with direct line construction along the western, southern, and eastern flanks of the Salmon Fire, successfully securing the heel of the fire and keeping the fire from progressing into the community of Greenhorn. Firefighters began constructing fireline along a ridge parallel to Lightning Creek to keep the fire from progressing northward. Heavy helicopters dropped water buckets to keep the Olive Butte Fire in check, limiting fire spread toward the community of Granite while firefighters continued structure protection work on the ground. Firefighters also began securing the heel of the Olive Butte Fire successfully keeping the fire east of Olive Creek.

The Oregon Department of Forestry and OSFM structural task forces engaged in structure protection around the Granite and Greenhorn communities yesterday, and OSFM continues that work today. Firefighters are working around the clock to protect structures adjacent to the fires, ensuring adequate defensible space by clearing overgrown vegetation and setting up hoselays, sprinkler systems, water tanks, and portable pumps.

Firefighters will continue to secure the Salmon Fire on the southwestern flank from Vinegar Hill to Psyche Butte and around the heel along the ridgeline. Firefighters and heavy equipment continue to construct fireline along the southeastern and eastern flanks as close to the fire’s edge as possible. On the Olive Butte Fire, crews continue to build fireline on the southern perimeter, keeping the fire east of the Olive drainage, and going as direct as possible around the heel of the fire to connect to road systems to hold the fire.

Weather and Smoke: Today will be warmer, with temperatures in the mid-80s and winds SW 5-8 mph with gusts to 13 mph on ridges. For the latest information regarding smoke and air quality, check AirNow Fire and Smoke Map.

Evacuations: Residents should be prepared for changes in evacuation levels as fire conditions can rapidly change. Baker County Sheriff’s Office has issued evacuations for the Greenhorn and Granite communities. To sign up for notifications in your area, visit Grant County Everbridge or Baker County Alert.

Closures and Safety: There is Tri-Forest Closure Order in place for the Umatilla, Malheur, and Wallowa-Whitman National Forests. The public is asked to avoid the area for everyone’s safety and to facilitate firefighting efforts. There is a Temporary Flight Restriction (TFR) over the fire area. If You Fly, We Can’t! Please remember unauthorized drone flights can shut down aerial firefighting operations, making fires grow larger, and threatening more lives, property, and critical habitats.

 

InciWeb: https://inciweb.wildfire.gov/incident-information/orumf-salmon-fire

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SalmonFireOR2026 

Salmon Fire Information: (541) 407-5475, 8 AM – 8 PM      

Email: 2026.salmon@firenet.gov

Blue Mountains Fire Information Blog: https://bluemountainfireinfo.blogspot.com/