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Durkee Fire

Unit Information

Oregon 
Vale, 
Oregon 
97918 
Oregon 
Vale, 
Oregon 
97918 

Incident Contacts

Fire Information
Email: 2024.durkee@firenet.gov
Phone: 541-208-4371
Hours: 7:00 am - 7:00 pm PDT

Highlighted Activity

DURKEE FIRESize: 294,265 acres Containment: 95% Location: 1 mile west of Durkee, ORStart Date: July 17, 2024 Personnel: 337 Cause: LightningCurrent SituationThis will be the final update for the Durkee Fire unless the situation changes dramatically.The Southern Area Gold Team will transition the Durkee Fire back to the local units at 8 p.m. PDT.Incident Commander Paul Varnedoe… Read more
Publication Type: News -

Highlighted Media

a hillside that is blackened at the top with dry brushy vegetation towards the bottom

The Durkee Fire was started by lightning at approximately 9:30 a.m. on July 17, 2024. Firefighters have made excellent progress, bringing containment to 95% and starting suppression repair. The Southern Area Gold Complex Incident Management Team will transition management of the Durkee Fire back to the local units at 8 p.m. PDT.

Basic Information
Current as of Wed, 08/07/2024 - 14:30
Incident Type Wildfire
Cause Lightning
Date of Origin
Location 1 mile west of Durkee, Oregon
Incident Commander Incident Commander Paul Varnedoe, Southern Area Gold Complex Incident Management Team
Coordinates 44° 32' 52'' Latitude
-117° 28'
38
'' Longitude
Current Situation
Total Personnel: 337
Size 294,265 Acres
Percent of Perimeter Contained 95%
Estimated Containment Date 08/08/2024
Fuels Involved

Short Grass (1 foot)
Timber (Grass and Understory)

Predominant fuel type is grass. Areas of grass mixed with sagebrush also exist, as does some patchy timber, however grass is the primary carrier of fire. Fuels are exceptionally dry and live fuel moistures in sage are at critical levels. A fuels advisory has been issued for the area.

Significant Events

Minimal

Narrative:
At the time of this writing, minimal fire activity inside the fire footprint. No new IA so far today. Lightning was experienced in the area yesterday afternoon and new starts from those storms could not be ruled out. Fire danger is extremely high and a new start would likely produce aggressive fire behavior that would be challenging to control.

Outlook
Planned Actions

Continue to secure/hold/mopup fire line, primarily in the north and northwestern portions of the fire. Continue with extensive mopup and cold trail perimeter. Continue with suppression repair and supporting local IA as requested.

Projected Incident Activity

12 hours: Minimal fire behavior expected overnight. Isolated heat remains, but low threat to containment. There is at least the potential for IA from yesterday's lightning storms, but that risk lowers as we head into the evening and nightfall. IR flight has been ordered to help identify any remaining heat.

24 hours: Isolated heat remains. Threat to containment is low and expected to remain low. The fire potential outside the footprint however is higher than potential inside the footprint, as temperatures again climb to nearly 100 degrees and humidity in the single digits. Fire danger is rising daily. IA potential is increasing.

48 hours: Very hot and dry weather expected to continue. Temperatures are forecast to approach 100 degrees, and relative humidities are expected to remain in the low teens or less. Nighttime recoveries are not expected to be good. Little if any precipitation expected and fire danger will remain very high. ERC's expected to be above the 95th percentile. Fire behavior outside the footprint is expected to be higher than fire behavior inside the footprint.

72 hours: Temps are forecast to hit 100 degrees with very low humidity. Single digit humidity is actually possible. Fuels are critically dry and fire danger outside the footprint is much higher than inside. ERC's are above the 95th percentile with no chance of precipitation in the near future. Minimal activity inside the footprint expected, but any heat source near a containment line should be addressed.

Anticipated after 72 hours: No rain in the forecast. Fire danger is expected to remain high outside the footprint. ERC values are above the 95th percentile and continuing to increase. Hot and dry weather remains in place as well. Isolated heat expected to remain,
but containment threat is thought to be low, however, any heat source near a
containment line could be considered a threat.

Remarks

Origin has been determined and ownership falls on private land in Baker County, Oregon.


 

Current Weather
Weather Concerns

Today so far, temperatures have been in the low to mid 90s,
tempered some by thick smoke aloft from the Park fire in California.
Relative humidities have gotten as low as 19 percent this
afternoon, with some additional decreases possible. Elevated fire
weather conditions are expected today due to the dry air coming in
from the west, above average temperatures and periods of breezy
Baker Valley winds.

The weather pattern going forward can be characterized by hot
temperatures, continued dryness and periods of breezy winds.
Single digit relative humidity is forecast at points throughout the
rest of the week. Some moisture may make it to the region on
Thursday and Friday which could slightly increase the chances for
thunderstorms on each of those days. The bulk of the moisture
looks to be positioned south and east of the Durkee fire footprint,
but a five to ten percent chance of thunderstorms will remain in the
forecast.