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About The Blue Mountain eagle. (John Day, Or.) 1972-current | View Entire Issue (Aug. 16, 2017)
News Blue Mountain Eagle Wednesday, August 16, 2017 A3 Firefighters gain upper hand on blazes Evacuations lifted for Anthony Lakes By George Plaven EO Media Group Weekend lightning ignited more than 20 fires locally, but crews kept most to less than one acre. The John Day Interagency Dispatch Center dispatched resources to 34 reports of smoke or fire from Aug. 11- 14, and most of the incidents are controlled or out. Re- sources were on scene Mon- day to several new fires re- ported that day, including one near Magone Lake that was under one acre. Regionally, a wildfire burning near Anthony Lakes Mountain Resort on the Wal- lowa-Whitman National Forest is now largely under control as management of the blaze transitions to a smaller, more local firefighting team. The Bear Butte fire, lo- cated 20 miles northwest of Baker City, has charred 499 acres and is 85 percent con- tained as of Monday morning. The Baker County Sheriff’s Office 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. Contributed photo/U.S. Forest Service The Corn Cob Creek Fire, located on the Heppner Ranger District of the Umatilla National Forest, burned four acres and is now fully contained. Contributed photo/Mike and Barbara Morehead A truck drives on a gravel road near the Bear Butte Fire in the Wallowa Whitman National Forest. A Type 3 incident man- agement team took control of firefighting operations Mon- day, and approximately 160 personnel remain assigned to the fire. Crews will continue to mop up hot spots around the fire perimeter, as well as identify hazard trees and boulders along the Anthony Lakes Highway. While recent storms have brought much-needed mois- ture, the rain has also made for loose and unstable soil within the fire area, increas- ing the risk for down trees and rock slides across the road- way. Roads will stay closed until firefighters can fully as- sess the safety of the area. The cause of the Bear Butte fire still is not known. The largest incidents from the weekend’s lightning in- clude: • North Fork Cable Creek fire, located 10 miles south- east of Ukiah. The 28-acre blaze was reported Saturday, burning in grass and tim- ber and threatening nearby structures. The fire is now 80 percent lined, and crews are working on securing the perimeter. Resources include six engines and three water tenders. • Corn Cob Creek fire, lo- cated near Wheeler Point on the Heppner Ranger District. Firefighters have fully con- tained the fire at four acres, and are conducting mop-up activities. • Red Fir Fire, located 20 miles southwest of La Grande. Like the Corn Cob Creek Fire, it is now fully contained at four acres. The North Fork John Day Ranger District was hit with 12 total fires, and more smoke reports are expected this week as weather con- ditions improve. Four fires are located within the North Fork John Day Wilderness near Winom Butte, and aerial attacks have so far been un- successful due to low cloud cover that’s prevented air- craft from flying into the area. Fire managers plan to get resources on scene as soon as safely possible. Mean- while, the fire danger rat- ing is still extreme despite the recent rain, and Phase C public use restrictions are in effect banning all campfires and chainsaw use. Influx of visitors creates fire concerns As tens of thousands of people descend on Grant County, fire danger is a ma- jor concern. Hot, dry conditions with little to no recent precipita- tion has left residents and officials on edge. To minimize fire danger, visitors should obey all road closures and follow all fire restrictions, U.S. Forest Ser- vice Public Affairs Special- ist Mike Stearly said. Camp- fires and chainsaw use are currently prohibited. If people see a fire, Stea- rly urges them to call 911, or if out of cell service con- tact any nearby Forest Ser- vice personnel. If a person starts a small fire and has a blanket, shovel or fire ex- tinguisher, Stearly said they should attempt to put the fire out. However, he urged peo- ple to not attack large fires. In order to prevent fires, Stearly said people should not travel cross-country, not park on grass, should smoke inside or in an area of bare ground and should ensure there are no dragging chains on their vehicle. He also advocated for people to use generators responsibly, avoid creating sparks and Fire prevention tips or muffler striking a rock or pavement will send a shower of sparks into dry vegetation. • Use a propane grill or back- pack stove instead of a char- coal grill or campfire. Fire re- strictions are in place in most of Oregon. • Carry a shovel and fire ex- tinguisher or gallon of water in your vehicle (required in some areas). Due to extreme fire danger the following restrictions are now in place on the Malheur National Forest: • No campfires. Liquid and bottle gas stoves only. • No internal combustion engine operations except for motor vehicles. Operate gen- erators only in areas bare of vegetation in a 10-foot diam- eter or in the bed of a pickup truck or installed in an RV with a 10-foot discharge area cleared of vegetation. • Smoking is allowed only in enclosed vehicles, build- ings, developed recreation sites Come see what the Squeeze In has to offer. • Breakfast Specials • Lunch Specials • Expressos • Milkshakes • Growlers • Ice • Cold Beer • Local Unique Art 05993 • Drive on established roads and avoid driving or parking on dry grass. Automobile ex- haust systems can reach tem- peratures up to 2,800 degrees Fahrenheit, and pulling off to the side of the road can ignite surrounding vegetation. • Ensure all parts of your vehicle are secure and not dragging. A loose safety chain BEHIND EVERY PROJECT IS A Y o u r Supply Store ve • Hunting We ha ies! • Fishing pl V Sup R • Camping • RV supplies We have everything you need to prepare for your summer journey! Downtown John Day • 541-575-0632 • Open 7 days a week or cleared areas. • No off-road or off-trail vehicle travel or travel on roads not cleared of flamma- ble materials. Obey all road closures. Squeeze In Restaurant Mon-Sat 6am-8pm • Sun 6am-7pm 423 Main St., John Day • 541-575-1045 the 2017 solar eclipse capital of Oregon … and so much more! The eclipse, the first total solar phenomenon to cast a shadow over North America since 1979, will move across the state at mid-morning on August 21. No place in Oregon will offer a greater opportunity to catch this rare sight than Grant County, thanks to our likelihood of cloudless skies and our position smack-dab in the eclipse path. Virtually all of the 4,500-square-mile county – with its friendly small towns and bountiful forest and range lands – has a front row seat. For at least a year, Chamber of Commerce members and the local communities have been preparing to welcome sun-gazing visitors with activities, special events, and of course, those funny-looking safety goggles. But while August’s eclipse offers a brief show – about 2 minutes in duration – there are plenty of other spectacular reasons to visit the county, at any time of the year. Grant County is the jewel of the John Day River territory, a special place where the high desert meets the mountains. Rugged and remote, the county features pine forests, snow-capped mountains, lush range lands, and verdant river valleys. The result: breath-taking scenery and recreation opportunities. What’s there to do? Take a bike or a motorcycle out on our open roads, explore the wilds with your snowmobile or horse, hike a mountain trail, fish the rippling waters of our streams, or revisit the area’s rich history at one of our museums. Think gold rush, ancient fossils, timber and cattle barons – there’s a wealth of the old West awaiting you here. And whenever you visit, don’t forget to enjoy our clear sky. Odds are, conditions will be perfect for the eclipse, but the sky here can’t be beat for star-gazing just about any night of the year. So come see us in 2017 – We’ll be glad to share the beauty of this special place with you. Jerry Franklin, president Grant County Chamber of Commerce 301 West Main Street, John Day, Oregon 97845 (541) 575-0547 • (800) 769-5664 gcadmin@gcoregonlive.com gcoregonlive.com Find Our Interactive Travel Guide 06027 Blue Mountain Eagle above all be aware of their surroundings. “Folks should leave their fireworks at home, as they are not permitted on the Na- tional Forest,” he said. To address fire concerns, a National Interagency Wild- fire Prevention and Educa- tion Team has been activated to assist with fire prevention awareness in the days before and during the upcoming so- lar eclipse. The team will be staffing information centers to provide critical fire pre- vention messages and visitor information. Several infor- mation boards will also be placed throughout the forest to provide key information, including maps and perti- nent regulations, as well as fire prevention information. “We anticipate that many individuals traveling to view the eclipse may not be aware of the current wildfire dan- ger,” said April Phillips, Fire Prevention Team Leader. Photo: Lindsay Bullock Eclipse falls during peak fire season
