HEPPNER, Ore. - Containment for the Lone Rock Fire in North-Central Oregon has increased to 98 percent as of August 12, according to a daily update from InciWeb.
Southwest Complex Incident Management Team 2 will hand over command of the fire to a Type 4 Organization at 6 p.m. on Aug. 12, according to the official fire information page.
The overall acreage burning remains unchanged at 137,222 acres and all evacuation levels remain the same after being reduced to Level 1 (Be Ready) on Aug. 6, according to the daily update on the Official Fire Information page for the Lone Rock Fire.
According to the Oregon Department of Emergency Management, Real-Time Assessment and Planning Tool for Oregon map, Level 1 evacuations for Wheeler and Gilliam county have been lifted.
Some Level 1 (GET READY) evacuations remain in Morrow County as of August 10.
Officials encourage those living in affected areas to check the evacuation map above or theGilliam,WheelerorMorrow CountySheriff's Office Facebook pages for the latest information.
UPDATE AUG. 2
Containment of the Lone Rock Fire in North-Central Oregon decreased overnight, falling from 89 to 83 percent, according to a daily update from InciWeb.
The overall acreage burning remained relatively unchanged, only growing an acre over the past twenty-four hours to 137,222.
All evacuation levels remain the same, however, a red flag warning is in effect over the weekend and "the public is recommended to remain cautious today and through the weekend with the existing critical fire weather conditions," according to the fire update for Aug. 2.
The official Lone Rock Fire Information page posted the below map showing evacuations for the Lone Rock and Battle Mountain Complex Fire.
UPDATE AUG. 1
The Lone Rock Fire burning in North-Central Oregon is now 89 percent contained, according to InciWeb.
The wildfire has burned a total of 137,221 acres according to the official fire information page and the Morrow County Sheriff's Office.
The fire continues to hold inside the established containment lines and a Complex Incident Management Team from Arizona and New Mexico is expected to take command of the fire on July 31.
Firefighting efforts are now focused on keeping the fire within containment lines and to patrol the fire and put out any hotspots, as well as the removal of trees near roads, according to the fire information page.
UPDATE JULY 27
Multiple levels of evacuation zones for the fire were reduced on July 27, according to the Wheeler County Sheriff's Office.
Officials encourage those living in affected areas to check the evacuation map below or the Gilliam, Wheeler or Morrow County Sheriff's Office Facebook pages for the latest information.
UPDATE JULY 26 3:53 p.m.
The Lone Rock Fire is now estimated to be 136,561 acres in size with its containment increasing to 45 percent, according to InciWeb.
A community meeting is planned for 6 p.m. on Sat., July 27 at the Grade School Gym in Fossil, Oregon. The Lone Rock Fire Facebook page will also share the meeting.
UPDATE JULY 25 10:57 a.m.
The Lone Rock Fire is now burning 136,377 and is 40 percent contained.
According to the Lone Rock Fire information page, evacuation levels remain the same and anevacuation center has been set up at Wheeler High School (600 E B Street, Fossil, Ore.). A large animal shelter is available at the County Fairgrounds (720 E 3rd Street in Fossil, Ore.).
Level 3 (GO NOW) evacuations:
- Gilliam County south of Lonerock
- Wheeler County: Highway 19Rowe Creek Road, south on Rowe Creek Road to Twickenham Bridge, to Highway 19 at Girds Creek, east to the county line, north of the county line to Morrow County line, west on the northern county line, south through the Kinzua area, south back to Rowe Creek Road.
- Morrow County: From thewest county line along Buttermilk Canyon to Highway 207, Mile Post 10 south of Hardman to the south Morrow County line. East of Highway 207 and south of FSR 21 to the eastern county line.
Level 2 Evacuations:
- Gilliam County: North of Lonerock
- Wheeler County:Highway 19/Rowe Creek to Twickenham then Girds Creek/HIGHWAY 207 S, south on HIGHWAY 207 to Cherry Lane west to the Grant County line
UPDATE JULY 23 1:30 p.m.
Several road closures are now in place to allow fire crews the room necessary to respond to the Lone Rock Fire that is now burning 131,407 acres.
According to the Oregon Department of Transportation, the following road closures are now in effect.
- Highway 207: Closed from 8 a.m. until 8 p.m. through Friday, July 26 from the OHV area to the 207/19 intersection at Spray
- Highway 19: Closed for 24-hours from July 22-24 from Spray to Service Creek with single-lane closures July 25-27
UPDATE JULY 23 8:15 a.m.
The Lone Rock Fire is now 131,407 acres, according to the official Lone Rock Fire Information page.
Firefighters continued work along Highway 19 on July 23 in an effort to secure the southwest corner and stop the wildfire from moving further south.
The Lone Rock Fire is 40 percent contained.
UPDATE JULY 22, 4:07 p.m.
In an update from the Oregon State Fire Marshal, the Lone Rock Fire is now 124,556 acres in size and still 40 percent contained.
UPDATE JULY 20, 8:15 p.m.
According to InciWeb, an interagency incident information management system, the Lone Rock Fire has grown to 100,274 acres.
Containment remains at 40 percent.
UPDATE JULY 20, 3:00 p.m.
The Lone Rock Fire Community Meeting will be held at the Fossil Grade School Gym, 392 Main Street in Fossil, Oregon on July 20 at 6 p.m.
A Facebook Live Stream will be available to view on the NW Team 2 Incident Management Team page 10 minutes after it starts.
There are no new updates to fire acerage or evacuation levels according to the Oregon State Fire Marshal.
UPDATE JULY 19
The Lone Rock Fire has burned 83,922 acres and is now 40 percent contained.
The Lone Rock Fire burned about three miles south over the night of July 18, according to Dan Trapanese,NW Team 2 Operations Section Chief.
UPDATE JULY 18 3:19 p.m.
The Lone Rock Fire in North-Central Oregon has reached 77,020 acres in size, according to the Morrow County Sheriff's Office.
MCSO says level 2 (BE SET) evacuation orders were put in place for Wheeler County and residents north of Lonerock.
Level 3 (GO NOW) evacuations are also in place for residents south of Lonerock and residents from the west county line along Buttermilk Canyon to Highway 207, mile post 10 south of Harman to the south Morrow County line.
UPDATE JULY 17 10:47 p.m.
The Wheeler County Sheriff's Office announced a level 3 (GO NOW) evacuation order for the Spray area.
Residents are urged to evacuate towards Fossil.
UPDATE JULY 17 5:51 p.m.
According to the Lone Rock Fire Facebook page, crews are still working on the fire with additional resources continuing to arrive.
The fire's size is estimated to be 69,354 acres and is 10 percent contained. The cause is still under investigation.
Structure protection is a priority for crews on scene. Crews will continue to work through the night with increased resources in the southeast region.
UPDATE JULY 16 10:49 p.m.
According to the Gilliam County Sheriff's Office, an investigation is under way to find the cause of the fire.
Gilliam County District Attorney Kara Davis says that rumors into the cause of the fire are "running rampant" and that there is "no information on what caused the fire."
UPDATE JULY 1612:11 p.m.
The Lone Rock Fire burning about 10 miles Southeast of Condon is now 64,860 acres and is only one percent contained.
Level 3 GO NOW evacuations remain in place for the following areas, according to the interagency management team.
Level 3 evacuation areas:
- Gilliam County: The community of Lone Rock. An evacuation center has been set up at Memorial Hall in Condon.
- Morrow County: From West County Line along Buttermilk Canyon to Highway 207, milepost 10 south of Hardman to the South Morrow County Line. Red Cross will set up a temporary shelter at Heppner Elementary School.
Level 2: Emergency alert:
- Residents should be set to evacuate from Hardman to the South Morrow County Line.
UPDATE JULY 157:56 p.m.
A level 3 (GO NOW) evacuation order has hit part of Morrow County, according to the Morrow County Sheriff's Office.
Residents from the West County Line along Buttermilk Canyon to Highway 207 and from milepost 10 south of Harman to the South Morrow County line must evacuate.
A temporary Red Cross shelter is being set up at Heppner Elementary School.
ORIGINAL COVERAGE 11:30 a.m.
The Lone Rock fire, currently burning about 50,000 acres, has now moved into Morrow County and is zero percent contained.
The Heppner Fire Department was called on Saturday, July 13 to provide mutual aid in Gilliam County, just east of Morrow County.
HFD responded with two trucks and was cleared from the scene around midnight.
Overnight the fire spread into Morrow County and HFD responded at 7:30 a.m. withType 3, Type 4, Type 6 trucks and a tender truck, according to a social media post from HFD.
HFD conducted firing operations to try and stop the spread of the fire, however, the fire continued to spread to the southeast and was difficult to fight due to the terrain.
According to HFD, fire crews and equipment will remain in place overnight to protect any structures.
TheEcho Fire Department, Irrigon Fire Department, Boardman Fire Rescue District and Lexington Fire all provided mutual aid during the fire.
