Incidents All News

Boneyard Fire merges into Monkey Creek FireUKIAH, Ore. – Overnight, the Boneyard Fire merged into the Monkey Creek Fire, now only referred to as the Monkey Creek Fire. Fire officials zoned the Battle Mountain Complex into Zones I and II, with ODF Incident Management Team 1 managing the west portion of the complex and ODF Incident Management Team 3 managing the east. Zones are used for effective management and resource allocation.

Thunderstorms and wind gusts increase fire behaviorUKIAH, Ore. – Firefighters faced another day of challenging weather with high temperatures and gusty, changing winds from thunderstorms in the area. The wind-driven increase in fire behavior created spot fires as far as a half mile away – one of which was roughly 200 acres.“The vegetation is so receptive that just one ember can take off,” said Field Operations Section Chief Eric Perkins. “We’re seeing late-summer, mid-August conditions out here.”

Progress continues as challenging conditions persistUKIAH, Ore. – Firefighters on the Monkey Creek Fire continued to see challenging weather and very active fire behavior, but they held established lines tightly without much growth on key priorities.

Firefighters holding strong amid challenging weather UKIAH, Ore. – Morning operations were challenged by thick smoke and limited visibility, which changed abruptly in the afternoon when the inversion layer lifted and brought high temperatures and wind gusts. That combination increased fire behavior, testing lines and producing several multi-acre spot fires. 

Monkey Creek and Snake fires expected to merge UKIAH, Ore. – Building off day-shift progress, night crews made big gains across the southern portions of the very-active Monkey Creek and Snake fires. The Monkey Creek and Snake fires are both burning towards each other within the canyon rim of the North Fork John Day River within the steep terrain which is difficult for firefighters to access. In the river corridor, firefighters are focused on protecting homes and structures and building defensible space around them. 

Battle Mountain Complex expands to include the Monkey Creek Fire, total acreage increases to 30,272UKIAH, Ore. – This morning, ODF Incident Management Team 3 added the 18,886-acre Monkey Creek Fire to the Battle Mountain Complex, which also includes the 3,887-acre North Fork Owens Fire and the 7,499-acre Snake Fire, bringing the total estimated acreage to 30,272.

Community Gets Update from Battle Mountain ComplexUKIAH, Ore. – ODF Incident Management Team 3 along with federal and local officials held a community meeting at the Ukiah Community Park. About 100 people attended and heard updates about both fires and evacuation levels.

Battle Mountain Complex firefighters continue to face difficult terrain and critical weather challengesUKIAH, Ore. – Firefighters on the Battle Mountain Complex continue to face critical weather and fire behavior as hot temperatures are expected to hold through the weekend. High heat, paired with low humidity, make the vegetation more receptive to fire and make fire behavior more erratic and difficult to suppress.  

Battle Mountain Complex Community meeting scheduled for Saturday evening UKIAH, Ore. – Firefighters continue to battle the heat and extreme fire conditions on the Battle Mountain Complex, successfully catching and lining a spot fire south of the North Fork Owens fire. Tonight, crews will continue to construct and try to tie key portions of lines together with existing roads and features.

ODF Incident Management Team 3 takes command of the Battle Mountain Complex as fires grow to 1,786 acresUKIAH, Ore. – The Oregon Department of Forestry’s Incident Management Team 3 took command of the Battle Mountain Complex today, Friday, July 19, at 6 a.m.Today, crews will focus on holding the fire to keep it as small as possible, while fighting the fire as safely as possible to minimize damage and protect local communities.