NEWS
MyEagleNews.com
Wednesday, August 18, 2021
A5
Black Butte Fire grows to 20,000 acres, 30% contained
Blue Mountain Eagle
The Black Butte Fire south of
Prairie City has grown to 20,750
acres as of Tuesday and is 30%
contained.
Monday, fire crews were able
to strengthen lines around the
entire fire perimeter, according
to a press release from Northwest
Incident Management Team 6.
Crews that were working a swing
shift are now working a full night
shift to take advantage of lower
temperatures and higher relative
humidity.
Fire activity on the east side
remained low and did not move
outside containment lines.
On the northwest side of the
perimeter, interior islands of
green burned throughout the day
creating various plumes of smoke.
During night shift, Hotshot crews
and engines successfully com-
pleted a portion of burnout oper-
ations on the northwestern edge.
These operations will slow down
the forward progression of fire,
giving firefighters a tactical
advantage.
Tuesday, crews planned to con-
tinue to patrol and mop up around
the entire perimeter while watch-
ing for spotting or slop over. Air
Contributed photo
A fire in Mt. Vernon broke out
around 10 p.m. Sunday.
Fire destroys Mt. Vernon home
Separate grass fire
Monday morning quickly
extinguished
Department provided mutual aid with
engines and tenders. He said both fire
departments and the Grant County
Sheriffs Office were on the scene until
3:30 a.m.
According to McKinley, Parsons’
family has a family in the area they
are staying with, while the other fam-
ily was in the hotel last night. He said
the Red Cross was called to lend help
last night.
While the cause of the fire is still
under investigation, McKinley said
the likely cause was a propane barbe-
cue cooker.
McKinley said it is essential to be
careful when using barbecues.
“Be careful and watch your cook-
ing sources,” he said. “Anytime
you’re cooking or using fire.”
In a separate incident Monday
morning, McKinley said a grass fire
on Widows Creek that was started by
a fence builder’s welding was put out
rapidly.
By Steven Mitchell
Blue Mountain Eagle
While duplex residents in Mt. Ver-
non got out of their homes safely, they
lost everything in a fire that broke out
late Sunday evening.
Grant County Sheriff Todd McKin-
ley said the blaze ignited a wildland
fire on Harper Creek, but crews were
able to put it out before it spread. He
said putting out the wildland fire was
the priority, as the duplex — which
belonged to Toby Parsons — was
engulfed in flames when they arrived.
He said crews had to truck water in
to put out the blaze.
McKinley said Mt. Vernon Fire
Department had two engines and
three tenders while John Day Fire
Contributed photo
An aerial view of the Black Butte Fire from Aug. 12.
operations will be available as
needed and as weather allows.
Night shift will continue burnout
operations if conditions permit.
Cooler temperatures were
expected Tuesday with a slight
increase in humidity. Winds from
the northwest will continue to be
strong, ranging from 12-17 mph
with gusts up to 28 mph in the
exposed areas and aligned drain-
ages. Smoke may be visible as
interior islands continue to burn.
Closures: Recreation Sites
within the closure boundary:
North Fork Malheur River Trail-
heads both north and south, North
Fork Malheur Campground, Crane
Crossing Trailheads both east and
west, Short Creek Guard Station,
Elk Creek Campground, Sunshine
Flat Trailhead and Trail, Horse-
shoe Trailhead and Trail, Sheep
Creek Trail and Trailhead, Little
Crane Campground.
Currently the Trout Farm and
Crescent campgrounds are still
open to the public.
For updated forest clo-
sure information, visit fs.usda.
gov/malheur or facebook.com/
MalheurNationalForest.
COPS AND COURTS
Arrests and citations in the
Blue Mountain Eagle are taken
from the logs of law enforce-
ment agencies. Every effort is
made to report the court dispo-
sition of arrest cases.
uninsured and speeding, 34/25
zone.
Aug. 9: Cited Kristy Scheer,
41, Bend, for speeding, 48/30
zone.
Grant County Circuit
Court
Aug. 8: A trooper saw a
motorcycle fail to obey a traf-
fic control device at the inter-
section of Highway 395 and
Highway 26 in Mt. Vernon.
The operator appeared to be
unsteady and had difficult
keeping it upright. The opera-
tor’s eyes were watery, glassy
and bloodshot, and there was
an odor of alcohol on the oper-
ator’s breath. He admitted to
having one drink. He con-
sented to field sobriety tests
where the trooper saw more
indicators of impairment. The
trooper obtained a search war-
rant for breath and urine sam-
ples. The breath sample indi-
cated a blood alcohol content
of 0.08% nearly three hours
after the initial stop. The driver
also provided a urine sample
pursuant to the search warrant.
Troy R. Nicoson, 48, Mt. Ver-
non, was issued citations for
driving under the influence of
intoxicants and failure to obey
a traffic control device and was
lodged at the jail.
Aug. 8: A trooper responded
to a report of a large buck that
was killed at the end of Can-
ton Street in John Day. Upon
arrival, the buck was located,
and witnesses reported and
described a man dragging the
buck from a vacant lot to the
creek. A bullet was located in
the buck. The investigation is
ongoing.
Aug. 11: A trooper inves-
Oregon State Police
Reagan S. Sherman, 26,
pleaded guilty July 8 to a count
of criminal driving while sus-
pended or revoked committed
on April 27. Her driving license
was revoked for one year. She
was sentenced to two days in
jail, 25 days of house arrest,
two years of supervised proba-
tion and 80 hours of commu-
nity service. A $500 fine will
be suspended upon successful
completion of probation.
Grant County Sheriff
The Grant County Sheriff’s
Office reported the following
for the week ending Aug. 11:
Concealed
handgun
licenses: 10
Average inmates: 11
Bookings: 5
Releases: 6
Arrests: 2
Citations: 8
Fingerprints: 2
Civil papers: 11
Warrants processed: 3
Assistance/Welfare check:
1
Search and Rescue: 0
Aug. 9: Cited Helen Hunt,
55, Mt. Vernon, for a nuisance
abatement violation.
Aug. 9: Cited Spencer Leif-
heit, 45, Mt. Vernon, for a res-
idential use of recreational
vehicles violation.
Aug. 9: Cited Matthew
Murray, 51, Newport, for
speeding, 56/30 zone.
Aug. 9: Cited Patricia Alex-
ander, 67, Oregon City, for
speeding, 83/65 zone.
Aug. 9: Cited Hunter
Stokes, 27, Bend, for speeding,
49/25 zone.
Aug. 9: Cited Trevor
Brown, 26, Bend, for failure
to carry registration and speed-
ing, 75/55 zone.
Aug. 9: Cited Chandler
Foster, 29, Keizer, for driv-
ing while suspended, driving
tigated a single commercial
motor vehicle crash with inju-
ries on Highway 395B near
milepost 66. Wayne Bates, 72,
Condon, was transported by
ambulance to Dale and flown
by air ambulance to Providence
St. Mary’s Medical Center in
Walla Walla, Washington. His
vehicle was towed. Bates will
be issued a citation for care-
less driving with an accident
involved at a later date.
Grant County Justice
Court
Exceeding speed limit:
Tammy F. Caldwell, 60, Long
Creek, July 21, 56/30 zone,
fined $265; Steven R. Yeager,
48, Eugene, Aug. 4, 42/25
zone, fined $165; Enrique
Munoz Montos, 33, Gaines-
ville, Florida, July 9, 53/30
zone, fined $225.
Violation of the basic rule:
Tiffani R. Blair, 20, John
Day, July 18, 76/55 zone,
fined $265; Ryan T. Cook,
22, Prineville, July 12, 86/55
zone, fined $440; Joseph W.
Leo, 43, Canyon City, July
27, 74/55 zone, fined $165;
Nathan E. Kingsford, 30,
Prineville, July 23, 75/55
zone, fined $165; Morgan C.
Barnett, 25, Albany, July 23,
80/55 zone, fined $265.
Driving uninsured: Tiffani
R. Blair, 20, John Day, July
18, 76/55 zone, fined $265;
Daniel J. Owens, 37, Prai-
rie City, July 19, fined $265;
Ryan T. Cook, 22, Prineville,
July 12, fined $265.
Driving while suspended:
Tiffani R. Blair, 20, John Day,
July 18, fined $440; Daniel J.
Owens, 37, Prairie City, July
19, fined $440; Rylan D. Gar-
inger, 36, La Grande, July 3,
fined $440; David W. Burke,
27, John Day, July 15, fined
$440.
Driving outside restric-
tions: Ryan T. Cook, 22,
Prineville, July 12, fined
$265.
Failure to install ignition
interlock device: David W.
Burkey, 27, John Day, July
15, fined $440.
Failure to drive within
lane: Megan N. Laughlin, 26,
Salem, July 18, fined $265.
Dangerous operation of a
snowmobile or ATV: Arthur
Day, 47, Portland, July 3,
fined $265.
Dispatch
John Day dispatch worked
205 calls during the week of
Aug. 8-15, including:
• John Day Police
Department
Aug. 12: Dispatched to
East Main Street regarding an
animal complaint.
Aug. 13: Responded to
Second Avenue and North
Canyon Boulevard regarding
a report of a dog left in a hot
vehicle.
Aug. 13: Responded
to the Squeeze-In Restau-
rant regarding a report of
harassment.
Aug. 13: Responded to a
harassment call on West Main
Street.
Aug. 15: Took a call on a
hit and run that occurred the
night before on the corner of
Bridge and Third Street.
• Oregon State Police
Aug.12: Dispatched to
Highway 26, near Halls Hill,
regarding a driving hazard.
• Grant County Sheriff’s
Office
Aug. 11: Responded to a
fight at Grant County Auto-
motive with Oregon State
Police and arrested Brandi
Fountain, 37, of Canyon City
for driving under the influ-
ence of intoxicants.
Aug. 11: Report of a dog
nuisance on Moon Creek
Aug. 11: Dispatched to
a probation violation at the
Chevron station.
Aug. 11: Dispatched to the
Black Butte Fire regarding a
theft.
Aug. 11: Dispatched
to North Humbolt Street
on a report of suspicious
circumstances.
Aug.13: Received news
that Jason Skinner, 43, of
Burns turned himself in.
Aug.13: Arrested Spencer
Leifheit, 45, of Mt. Vernon
on a warrant on Southwest
Council Drive.
Aug.13: Responded to a
dispute on West Front Street.
Aug. 13: Arrested Brad
Barnes, 42, of Burns and Kraig
McCanna, 29, of Redmond at
the Grant County Fairgrounds
for disorderly conduct.
Aug. 14: Responded to a
report of vandalism on Sixth
Street.
Aug. 14: Received a report
of someone using a chainsaw
on Chukar Canyon during
hazardous conditions.
Aug. 15: Dispatched to a
motorcycle crash with Sen-
eca and John Day Ambulance
on Highway 395 and Izee
Highway.
• John Day ambulance
Aug. 12: Responded to a
report of an elderly subject
lying on the side of Highway
26, near milepost 81.
Aug.13: Responded with
Monument Ambulance for
a female, 66, who fell and
broke her arm and leg on Lost
Hubcap Road.
• Monument ambulance
Aug. 13: Dispatched with
John Day Ambulance for a
man, 72, feeling weak with
difficulty breathing on High-
way 402.
Aug. 13: Responded to an
elderly man who hit his head
at the fairgrounds.
Aug. 14: Dispatched with
John Day police for a sex-
ual assault on West Main
Street.
Aug. 15: Dispatched on
a 911 call for a child with
breathing problems on River-
side Street.
• Long Creek ambulance
Aug. 11: Dispatched to
a truck crash with injury on
Highway 395
• John Day fire
Aug. 11: Dispatched to
Apple Road about a report of
a chip pile smoking.
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