Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current | View Entire Issue (Aug. 15, 2017)
REGION Tuesday, August 15, 2017 Firefi ghters gain upper hand on blazes Evacuations lifted for Anthony Lakes East Oregonian HEPPNER Landmark barn destroyed in lightning-sparked fi re East Oregonian By GEORGE PLAVEN East Oregonian A wildfi re burning near Anthony Lakes Mountain Resort on the Wallowa- Whitman National Forest is now largely under control as management of the blaze transitions to a smaller, more local fi refi ghting team. The Bear Butte fi re, located 20 miles northwest of Baker City, has charred 499 acres and is 85 percent contained as of Monday morning. The Baker County Sheriff’s Offi ce has lifted evacuation orders around Anthony Lakes recreation area, though road closures remain in effect for Forest Service roads 73, 43, 7325, 5185 and the Elkhorn Crest Trail. A Type 3 incident management team took control of fi refi ghting oper- ations Monday, and approx- imately 160 personnel remain assigned to the fi re. Crews will continue to mop up hot spots around the fi re perimeter, as well as identify hazard trees and boulders along the Anthony Lakes Highway. While recent storms have brought much-needed moisture, the rain has also made for loose and unstable soil within the fi re area, increasing the risk for down trees and rock slides across the roadway. Roads will stay closed until fi refi ghters can fully assess the safety of the area. Photo contributed by U.S. Forest Service The Corn Cob Creek fi re, located on the Heppner Ranger District of the Umatilla National Forest, burned four acres and is now fully contained. The cause of the Bear Butte fi re still is not known. Weekend thunderstorms also brought ample lightning to the southern end of the Umatilla National Forest, keeping fi refi ghters on their toes. The largest incidents include: • North Fork Cable Creek fi re, located 10 miles south- east Ukiah. The 28-acre blaze was reported Saturday, burning in grass and timber and threatening nearby structures. The fi re is now 80 percent lined, and crews and working on securing the perimeter. Resources include six engines and three water tenders. • Corn Cob Creek fi re, located near Wheeler Point on the Heppner Ranger District. Firefi ghters have fully contained the fi re at four acres, and are conducting mop-up activi- ties. • Red Fir Fire, located 20 miles southwest of La Grande. Like the Corn Cob Creek fi re, it is now fully contained at four acres. The North Fork John Day Ranger District was hit with 12 total fi res, and more smoke reports are expected this week as weather condi- tions improve. Four fi res are located within the North Fork John Day Wilderness near Winom Butte, and aerial attacks have so far been unsuccessful due to low cloud cover that’s prevented aircraft from fl ying into the area. Fire managers plan to get resources on scene as soon as safely possible. Meanwhile, the fi re danger rating is still extreme despite the recent rain, and Phase C public use restrictions are in effect banning all campfi res and chainsaw use. For more information about restrictions, call the forest information hotline at 1-877-958-9663, or visit www.fs.usda.gov/umatilla. ——— Contact George Plaven at gplaven@eastoregonian. com or 541-966-0825. Field fi re in Stanfi eld nearly burns house East Oregonian A fi eld fi re engulfed several pieces of equipment and nearly burned a home and in Stanfi eld on Monday afternoon. Crews responded to the blaze in a fi eld off East Harding and North Wayne streets a little before 4 p.m., and were able to stop it from affecting the home near where it started. Adrian Montoa, who lives in a home on North Wayne Street that was closest to the fi re, said the fl ames almost got his house. “I was just sitting in my computer room, and saw the fi re out my window,” he said, adding that it burned the bushes near his house. Up the hill in a fi eld, several pieces of farm equipment were engulfed in the fl ames, which sent a cloud of black smoke over the area for about 20 minutes. Firefi ghters had the blaze under control by about 4:20 p.m. The cause of the fi re is unknown at this time. PENDLETON Wells repaired, outdoor watering easement lifted East Oregonian Pendleton’s two largest water wells are again working. Bob Patterson, the city’s public works director, reported the city on Saturday lifted its request for residents to end outside watering. The well at Roy Raley Park stopped working the fi rst week of August, then the well at Stillman Park quit on Aug. 7. The two wells provide the city with about 4.6 million gallons of water each day. Patterson in email updates said crews repaired the Stillman well and had it working Saturday. That returned about 2 million gallons of water to the city’s supply, he said. And Monday morning the Roy Raley well was back at work after repairs. Patterson said the well is the city’s largest and provides about 2.6 million gallons per day. While watering is a go, Patterson said the city “will continue to balance water supply needs with reduced irrigation at city parks and with our largest outside irri- gation water customers.” He also said the city appreciates all its customers’ efforts to reduce their water usage during the situation. Administrative Support / Inside Sales Great work environment. Super awesome team. Good base pay PLUS commissions. Retirement plan. Weekends off. Interested? Staff photo by Jayati Ramakrishnan UCFD Fire Marshal Tom Bohm surveys the fi eld in Stanfi eld that was burning around 4:00 p.m. Monday. Come in and check out our Moon Phase necklaces by Moonglow! Don’t just live life... Hear Life. Put a smile on the heart with the power of flowers. HWY 395, HERMISTON 541-567-4305 Mon-Sat 8am-6pm • Sun 12pm-5am www.cottagefl owersonline.com Verna Taylor, HAS • Ric Jones, BC-HIS Forrest Cahill, HAS 541-567-4063 • 405 N. 1st St., Suite #107, Hermiston 541-215-1888 • 246 SW Dorion, Pendleton “Our Roots Run Deep in Morrow County” August 16-20, 2017 FAIR: www.co.morrow.or.us/fair Wednesday, Aug. 16 Reptile Man & Kid Zone Scarecrow Contest The Junebugs A local landmark was destroyed in a fi re this weekend, but the owners of the property are relieved the damage wasn’t worse. Mark and Shannon Miller’s barn, located off Highway 206 in the Ruggs area near Condon, was burned in a fi re sparked by lightning on Friday night. The blaze spread 700 to 800 acres and took about three hours to extinguish. The barn was the only structure damaged in the fi re. Shannon Miller, whose family has owned the prop- erty for many years, said she heard about the fi re from her home in North Lexington, where she and her husband raise wheat. “We stayed here because we were afraid we might get the same storm,” Miller said. Their son went out to the barn, and Miller called the Morrow County Sheriff and told him not to worry about saving the structure. “We told him, don’t worry about the old barn, but to concentrate on the others,” Miller said. At fi rst, it looked like the barn would be safe — but the next thing they knew, it was on fi re. Miller said two trucks were inside the barn, a 1957 and a 1951, both used by her father for farming many years ago. “Everything was a total loss,” Miller said. “Nothing monetarily, but it was sad when we went up there Saturday and took pictures. My dad loved that place — he farmed it for my mother.” Miller said she was relieved everyone was safe, and appreciated all the help from the neighbors and local fi re departments. Others will miss the barn as well, Miller said. She remembered all the calls she’d gotten from people asking to take pictures in front of the barn and windmill, which she estimated were more than 100 years old. “It’s kind of nostalgic,” she said. “It had been kind of a landmark on the Heppner- Condon Highway.” - EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY - EXCITED ABOUT THE ECLIPSE? th Page 3A Thursday, Aug. 18 th Reptile Man & Kid Zone Old Time Fiddlers Talent Show 4-H/FFA Conformation Murray's Wine Tasting Featuring: Joe Lindsay Nate Bosford 4-H Food Contest 4-H/FFA Small Animal Showmanship Ice Cream Social 4-H Archery Shoot RDO Tractor Pull Cory Peterson Band Friday, Aug. 18 th Reptile Man & Kid Zone 4-H/FFA Showmanship Ballet Performance 4-7 yrs. Master Showmanship Adult Showmanship Greased Pig Contest OTPR/NPRA Rodeo Music by: Dan Burns 3D Productions Saturday, Aug. 19th Reptile Man & Kid Zone Parade FFA Awards Buyers Luncheon Livestock Auction OTPR/NPRA Rodeo Music by: Dan Burns 3D Productions Sunday, Aug. 20th All Exhibits Released Morrow County Rodeo OTPR NPRA SLACK THANK YOU TO ALL OUR SPONSORS! Fair Admission: Ages 8 & Up $4 daily or $10 week 7 & under FREE (must be with Adult) Rodeo Admission: 13 & up $10 7-12 yrs. $6 6 & under FREE www.facebook.com/oregontrailprorodeo www.facebook.com/morrowcountyfairheppneroregon We are looking for a motivated, confident individual to join our team at East Oregonian in Pendleton. This full- time position will do inside sales and provide administrative support to the advertising director and publisher. No media or sales experience? No problem, as long as you understand the importance of great customer service, working hard and a desire to enjoy your job. Could this be you? Benefits include Paid Time Off (PTO) and 401(k)/Roth 401(k) retirement plan. Send resume and letter of interest to EO Media Group, PO Box 2048, Salem, OR 97308-2048 or e-mail hr@eomediagroup.com Come work with us! We are an awesome team. Send resume and letter of interest to EO Media Group, PO Box 2048 • Salem, OR 97308-2048, by fax to 503-371-2935 or e-mail hr@eomediagroup.com Come work with us! We are an awesome team.
