Final Update - 7/6/2013 5:30 pm MDT

The Owyhee Fire remains at 46,559 acres and 95% containment. The High Desert Type 3 team will assume command of the Owyhee Fire tomorrow morning (July 7th) at 0600 and PNW Team 2 will head home.

This will be the final update for this site. For additional information, you can contact the Vale District of the Bureau of Land Management at 541-473-3144.

^MARH

Fire Update - 7/6/13 Mid Day

The acreage of the Owyhee Fire has increased to 46,559 acres due to more accurate mapping. 

Additionally, the Owyhee State Park is now open. Electricity is available, but there is no potable water at this time.

 ^NCH

Fire Update - 7/6/2013 9:00 am MDT

Fire	Acres	% Contained	Total Personnel
Owyhee	46,501	95	247

News & Highlights for the Owyhee Fire:

• This is the final update provided for the Owyhee Fire. Please contact the Vale District of the Bureau of Land Management for additional information at 541-473-3144.
• The High Desert Type 3 Team (Dave Toney) is shadowing with Pacific Northwest Team 2 (Chris Schulte) today.  The High Desert Team will assume management of the Owyhee Fire on Sunday, July 7 at 6:00 a.m.
• Please continue to use extra caution when driving on the Owyhee Lake Road due to the increased recreation and fire suppression-related traffic
• The Owyhee Lake Road and public boat ramp is open. Owyhee State Park remains closed except for primitive camping. No electricity is available. For information call Lake Owyhee State Park, 541-339-2331
• Public Use Restrictions for the Vale District Bureau of Land Management (BLM), and Vale and Baker Project Lands for the Bureau of Reclamation are in effect. Please contact the Vale District BLM for further information
• Continued coordination as needed with Rangeland Fire Protection Association
• Heavy demobilization of resources today

Owhyee Fire Operations Summary:

Last evening was the last night operations shift. Firefighters continue with mop up, patrol and fire suppression rehabilitation efforts and are prepared to respond to any new starts. The threat of thunderstorm activity and associated winds in the fire area remains low.

FIRE FACTS:  

Owyhee Fire: Started:  July 1, 2013 Cause: lightning Location: Vale, OR in Malheur County

Resources:   A total of 247 personnel assigned to the fire, including 6 hotshot crews, 3 helicopters, 14 engines, and 6 dozers, and 3 water tenders.

SAFETY CONCERNS:  Rattlesnakes, ticks, mosquitos, bee stings.

RESOURCE CONCERNS: The Wild Horse and Honeycomb Wilderness Study Areas, the Owyhee Views Area of Critical Environmental Concern, sage grouse and wild horse habitat.

WEATHER FORECAST: A few high clouds but no storms expected. Max temps 89-92 degrees with minimum Rh 10-13%. Winds NW 5-8 mph with gusts 12-15 mph.  Tonight, mostly clear and cooler with minimum temps 57-60 degrees and maximum Rh 45-55%. Outlook Sunday through Wednesday: Temperatures will remain above normal with increased SW wind flow over the ridges.  Extended forecast: Warming conditions with increasing SW flow for a chance of thunderstorms.

TODAY’S EXPECTED FIRE BEHAVIOR: Any spot fires or new starts will have potentially rapid rates of spread, reacting quickly to wind speeds and direction.

COOPERATING AGENCIES & PARTNERS: Vale District Bureau of Land Management, Malheur County Sheriff’s Office, Lake Owyhee State Park.

^MARH

Quick Update - 7/5/2013 9:00 pm MDT

• Acres: 46,501
• Containment: 95%
• Resources: 1 Hotshot Crew, 3 Helicopters, 15 Engines, 6 dozers, 3 watertenders, and 247 total personnel.

PNW Team 2 will transfer command of the fire to the High Desert Type 3 team at 0600 on July 7.

Although there were some reconaissance flights today, aircraft did not need to drop any water or retardant on the fire area as crews have the fire well-secured.

^MARH

Owyhee Fire - Helicopter on burnout operations

^MARH

Owyhee Fire Retardant Drop Video

^MARH

Fire Update - 7/5/2013 8:00 am MDT

Fire	Acres	% Contained	Total Personnel
Owyhee	46,249	85	321

News & Highlights for the Owyhee Fire:

Ø  A camp crew member was treated for heat exhaustion yesterday. Heat related illness continues to be a primary safety concern due to the high temperatures

Ø  Please continue to use extra caution when driving on the Owyhee Lake Road due to the increased recreation and fire suppression-related traffic

Ø  The Owyhee Lake Road and public boat ramp is open. Owyhee State Park remains closed except for primitive camping. No electricity is available

Ø  Public Use Restrictions for the Vale District Bureau of Land Management (BLM), and Vale and Baker Project Lands for the Bureau of Reclamation are in effect. Please contact the Vale District BLM for further information

Ø  Continued coordination as needed with Rangeland Fire Protection Association

Ø  Resources are beginning to demobilize as suppression objectives are met

Owhyee Fire Operations Summary:

Last evening, the fire was quiet on all divisions. Firefighters continue to make very good progress with suppression efforts. All fire containment lines have been constructed and crews are either mopping up or starting to implement fire suppression rehabilitation. Firefighters will also respond to any new starts in the area, although threat of thunderstorms is currently low.  An air attack resource will provide reconnaissance of the fire area.

FIRE FACTS:  

Owyhee Fire: Started:  July 1, 2014  Cause: lightning Location: Vale, OR in Malheur County

Resources:   A total of 321 personnel assigned to the fire, including 6 hotshot crews, 7 helicopters, 24 engines, and 8 dozers, two heavy helicopters, three water tenders, three single engine air tankers as needed and one air attack.

SAFETY CONCERNS:  Rugged terrain makes driving dangerous and access difficult, continued hot and dry weather and heat related illnesses, power lines in fire area, cumulative fatigue, increased holiday traffic.

RESOURCE CONCERNS: The Wild Horse and Honeycomb Wilderness Study Areas, the Owyhee Views Area of Environmental Concern, sage grouse and wild horse habitat.

WEATHER FORECAST: Thunderstorm activity is starting to diminish with cooler and drier air over the fire area. Today’s weather is mostly sunny and a little cooler, but still above normal.  Max temps 86-92 degrees and minimum relative humidity is 10-15%. Tonight, mostly clear and cooler with minimum temps 58-63 degrees and max RH 40-45%. 

TODAY’S EXPECTED FIRE BEHAVIOR: Continued above normal temperatures, low humidity and at times breezy conditions can lead to rapid fire spread. Any spot fires or new starts will rapidly spread, reacting quickly to wind speeds and direction.

COOPERATING AGENCIES & PARTNERS: Vale District Bureau of Land Management, Malheur County Sheriff’s Office, Lake Owyhee State Park.

^MARH

Fire Update: 7/5/13 AM

Crews have completed fire lines around the perimeter of the fire and will be working on mop-up and rehab over the next few shifts.

The Pacific North West Team 2 will begin transitioning to the High Desert Type III Incident Management Team tomorrow (7/6) and transfer of command will occur Sunday (7/7).

^NCH

Fire Update - 7/4/2013 9:00 pm MDT

Current facts on the Owyhee Fire:

• Acres: 46,249
• Containment: 85%
• Estimated containment 7/6
• Cost to date: $874,000
• Structures affected: 1structure destroyed and 1 damaged (both corrals)
• Resources: 6 crews, 4 helicopters, 24 engines, 8 dozers and 3 watertenders; 321 total personnel.

^MARH

Thanks Adrian High School!

Huge thanks to Principal, Kevin Purnell, and all of Adrian High School for providing us with air-conditioned offices! Makes our job much easier! ^MARH

Quick Update - 7/4/2013 5:30 pm MDT

Owyhee State Park is open for primitive camping only. No electricity is available, and no fireworks. ^MARH

How to Get Owyhee Fire Updates as Fast Follow Text Messages

For text message updates via Twitter (no Twitter account is necessary). Send a text message to 40404 and in the body of the message simply write “Follow OwyheeORFire” (without the quotation marks). You’ll receive a reply from 40404 confirming your request and noting instructions to stop messages when you no longer need them. Standard message rates will apply. ^MARH

Fire Information Morning Update - 07/07/2013 10:00 a.m. MDT

Fire	Acres	% Contained	Total Personnel
Owyhee	44,550	50	264

  

News & Highlights for the Owyhee Fire:

Ø  Please use extra caution when driving on the Owyhee Lake Road due to the increased recreation and fire suppression-related traffic.

Ø  Happy Independence Day!  Thank you, veterans, for your service to our country.

Ø  Pacific Northwest Team 2 (Incident Commander Chris Schulte) assumed management of the Owyhee Fire at 6:00 am on July 3^rd. The Incident Command Post is located at Adrian High School.

Ø  The annual 4^th of July pancake breakfast is being held today at Adrian High School.

Ø  The Owyhee Lake Road and public boat ramp opened this morning. Owyhee State Park remains closed. Heavy equipment will continue to be present on the Lake Owyhee Road.

Ø  No structures have been lost and no structures are currently threatened

Ø  Operations personnel are coordinating with the Range Fire Protection Association

Ø  Public Use Restrictions for the Vale District Bureau of Land Management (BLM), and Vale and Baker Project Lands for the Bureau of Reclamation are now in effect.

Ø  Potential for new fire starts with predicted thunderstorm activity to the south of the fire.

  

Owhyee Fire Operations Summary:

Firefighters made excellent progress on the Owyhee Fire yesterday and during the night shift operations. Burnout operations that were conducted near structures, roads and the powerline went smoothly in the Rock Creek and Succor Creek areas. Today’s focus areas include Owyhee Park, Fisherman Road, Board Corral and Owyhee Lake area with potential burnout operations planned. Although the fire behavior has moderated, there still remains high potential for the fire to quickly become active with increased winds around thunderstorms and the extremely dry fuels.  In addition to suppressing the Owyhee Fire, the firefighters will also respond to any new starts in the area. Firefighters continue to provide structure protection at Owyhee State Park and private cabins the area; no structures are threatened at this time.

FIRE FACTS:  

Owyhee Fire: Started:  July 1, 2014  Cause: lightning Location: Vale, OR in Malheur County

Resources:   A total of 264 personnel assigned to the fire, including 6 hotshot crews,  7 helicopters, 30 engines, and 7 dozers, three heavy helicopters, three single engine air tankers and one air attack.

SAFETY CONCERNS:  Rugged terrain makes driving dangerous and access difficult, continued hot and dry weather and heat related illnesses, power lines in fire area, cumulative fatigue, potential rapid changes in fire behavior due to extremely dry fuels and predicated thunderstorms and holiday traffic.

  

RESOURCE CONCERNS: The Wild Horse and Honeycomb Wilderness Study Areas, the Owyhee Views Area of Environmental Concern, sage grouse  and wild horse habitat.

WEATHER FORECAST: Mostly sunny in the morning and partly cloudy in the afternoon. Winds out of the NW 5-8 mph with gusts up to 20 mph.  Thunderstorms predicted south of the fire area.  Potential for wind gusts up to 30 mph associated with thunderstorms. A westerly flow continues for the next few days which is resulting in drier air.  Max temps 92 to 97 degrees with relative humidity 14 to 18%.

TODAY’S EXPECTED FIRE BEHAVIOR: Expect some moderate spread of the fire with potential rapid changes in fire behavior due to flashy fuels and an increase in winds associated with thunderstorms.

COOPERATING AGENCIES & PARTNERS: Vale District Bureau of Land Management, Malheur County Sheriff’s Office, Lake Owyhee State Park.

^ST

Fire Prevention Order 7-3-2013

PDF of Fire Prevention Order

SUMMARY: The BLM and BOR are temporarily prohibiting some activities and uses of the public and project lands during periods of high fire danger. This regulation is necessary to protect natural resources and the public's health and safety.

Structure Update - 7/4/2013

Good news! The Gingerbread Cabin near Lake Owyhee survived the fire the last few days. At this point we have zero confirmed structures lost due to the fire. ^MARH

Road Closure Update - 7/4/2013 7:15am MDT

#Owyhee Lake Road is now open, including the boat ramp. Owyhee State Park remains closed due to fire activity. ^MARH

Fire update - 7/3/2013 5:45pm MDT

The Owyhee Fire is currently 44,550 acres. Hotshot crews, dozers, engines, and multiple aircraft are currently working to contain the fire.

Owyhee State Park closed due to fire 7/3/2013

From Ontario City Police Department: Due to ongoing fires in the Owyhee Lake area outside of Vale, Oregon, the Owyhee State Park has been closed and it is unknown when it will reopen. Lake Owyhee Road has also been closed at the base of the dam. ^MARH

Lake Owyhee Road Update 7/3/2013

Lake Owyhee Road remains open but drivers should elect heavier traffic from fire equipment and crews. Please drive safely. Fire officials are working closely with the Sheriff's Department to monitor the area and may close the road again if the fire situation changes. ^MARH

Welcome - Initial Setup

Welcome to the Owyhee Fire page. We are still in the operational setup period. The PNW2 Team took command of the Owyhee Fire at 0600 this morning and is busy setting up camp and getting the crew in place.