Single Publication

Telephone Fire Quick Facts:
Size: 54,034 Start Date: July 22, 2024 Location: 12 miles NE of Burns, OR
Containment: 95% Cause: Lightning/Natural

Falls Fire Quick Facts: 
Size: 151,680 Start Date: July 10, 2024 Location: 13 miles NW of Burns, OR
Containment: 89% Cause: Human-caused, under investigation
Structures Triaged: Residences: 386 / Commercial: 119 / Outbuildings: 760

Sand Mountain Fire Quick Facts:
Size: 7,582 Start Date: July 25, 2024 Location: 17 miles SW of Seneca, OR
Containment: 100% Cause: Lightning/Natural

Total Personnel Across All Fires: 965

Total Resources Assigned:  26 hand crews, 33 engines, 9 bulldozers, 31 water tenders, 1 masticator, 12 skidgines

Aerial resources assigned: One Type 1 helicopter

Priorities for Thursday, August 15

1. Initial Attack (IA) is the highest priority to keep all new fires as small as possible.
2. Northeast portion of the Falls Fire; increasing mop up depth and spot containment.
3. Northwest portion of the Telephone Fire near Gobbler’s Knob and King Mountain; increasing mop up depth and spot containment.

Telephone Fire: Yesterday, the eastern side of the fire was monitored and patrolled. Ranchers, firefighters and cooperators worked together to drive cattle across 395 to safer, unburned areas for grazing. Mastication on the 2830 Road continued along with work on the 28 Road shaded fuel break. Today, crews will continue monitoring and patrolling the fire area and focusing on the backhaul of equipment. Backhaul—the process of returning equipment and supplies on a wildfire to a central point for redistribution—is an essential part of wildfire logistics and ensures that resources are efficiently managed and available for changing fire conditions or future incidents. Firefighters will continue with mastication on the 2830 Road near the Little Black Rock area.

Falls/Sand Mountain Fires: Yesterday, firefighters in the northeast focused on securing 

 fire’s edge by burning out small pockets of unburned fuels using an unmanned aerial system in the Five Hundred Flat Area. Crews continued felling operations to remove hazardous trees on the 37 Road. Today, with increased containment across the fire, the perimeter is in patrol and monitor status. Additionally, crews will be using road graders to repair sections of the 43 and 41 Roads in the Parker Creek and Spring Canyon areas.

Weather: Portions of the Telephone Fire received two tenths of an inch of helpful wetting rain. Temperatures today are expected to be slightly cooler with higher with relative humidities than recent days. There is a chance of thunderstorms with additional wetting rains and lightning this afternoon. Despite the recent precipitation, conditions are still favorable for fire growth in the event of new starts.

Evacuations: There were additional changes yesterday to the evacuation orders for Grant and Harney Counties. For the most accurate evacuation information, visit the Harney County Sheriff’s evacuation map: https://bit.ly/FallsFireEvac, or the Grant County Emergency Management Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100068819321423

Closures:  National Forest has reduced the South Area Closure. Due to control and containment measures the Malheur National Forest is able to reduce portions of the Forest previously under the South Area Closure. However, to continue protecting public health and safety, fire managers will maintain a portion of the southern part of the forest under closure due to fire activity and fire suppression operations. This closure will be effective August 6, 2024, through December 31, 2024, unless rescinded sooner. This Forest Order rescinds and replaces the previous southern area closure. A closure map and the closure order are available on the Malheur National Forest website (https://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/malheur/news-events/?cid=FSEPRD1198892) and in local U.S. Forest Service offices. 

Investigation: The U.S. Forest Service is seeking the public’s assistance with any information pertinent to the start of the Falls Fire on the Malheur National Forest. Submit any relevant information to SM.FS.R6TipHotLine@usda.gov.  

Temporary Flight Restriction (TFR): TFRs in the area have been changing; pilots should check the latest information on the Federal Aviation Administration TFR website prior to flying: https://tfr.faa.gov/tfr_map_ims/html/index.html

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/p/Falls-Fire-2024-61562126623985/
Falls Fire InciWeb:  https://inciweb.wildfire.gov/incident-information/ormaf-falls-fire
Telephone Fire InciWeb: https://inciweb.wildfire.gov/incident-information/ormaf-telephone-fire
Fire Information Line: 541-208-4370, staffed 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Email: 2024.Falls@firenet.gov

Harney County Non-emergency Evacuation Questions: 541-589-5579

Air Quality Questions: 541-573-2271. Air quality information, searchable by zip code: https://fire.airnow.gov/

Smoke Outlooks: https://outlooks.airfire.org/outlook