Single Publication

LONE ROCK FIRE UPDATE July 17, 2024

Location: 10 miles SE of Condon, Oregon | Size: 69,354 acres | Containment: 10% Cause: Under Investigation | Start Date: July 13, 2024 | Total Personnel: 333

Official Fire Information: https://inciweb.wildfire.gov/incident-information/orprd-lone-rock-fire 

Fire Information Line: 541-208-4369

Condon, Oregon — The Lone Rock Fire began on July 13 and is being managed under a full suppression strategy. Northwest (NW) Team 2 and Oregon State Fire Marshal (OSFM) Red Team assumed unified command of the Lone Rock Fire on Wednesday, July 17 at 6:00 a.m.

Yesterday’s Activities:

The Oregon State Fire Marshal quickly mobilized resources to the LoneRock Fire as it threatened nearby communities. One task force from Linn County was mobilized on July 14 to support South Gilliam County RFPD, Bureau of Land Management, USDA Forest Service, Oregon Department of Forestry, and local ranchers to protect the town of Lonerock, Ore. Crews were successful in protecting all homes and structures in the town as the fire moved through the area. Four more task forces were deployed on July 15 as Governor Kotek invoked the Emergency Conflagration Act. An additional two task forces, along with OSFM’s Red Team, were mobilized early Tuesday morning following their assignment on the Cow Valley Fire. Firefighters worked through the night providing structure protection to the surrounding communities and increasing containment of the Lone Rock Fire to ten percent.

Today’s Activities: Additional resources continue to arrive to support the suppression efforts. Wildland fire crews continue to patrol and secure firelines on the northwest portion of the fire; however, crews continue to find heat along the northeastern and southern edges of the fire. Firefighters will continue to use all available resources to construct containment features along the fire’s edge where safe and feasible, while exploring indirect containment features further from the fire’s edge. Structure protection in the community of Lonerock continues to be a priority as OSFM task forces continue to minimize threat from the fire to structures within the community. OSFM task forces are also conducting structure assessment and protection efforts beyond the fire’s edge in the surrounding communities of Hardman and Lefevre Prairie.

Firefighters will continue to work through the night providing structure protection and suppression efforts throughout the fire – with increased resources in the southeast where the fire is most active.

Evacuations:

• Level-3 Evacuations – GO NOW! Level-3 Evacuate immediately for the following areas:

o Gilliam County: community of Lonerock, Ore. An evacuation center is set up at memorial hall in Condon. For more information on evacuations, visit Gilliam County Sheriff's Office Facebook page

o Wheeler County: Township 6, Range 24. A temporary evacuation point has been set up at the Wheeler County Fairgrounds (720 E 3rd Street in Fossil, OR). Showers and public restrooms are available on site. For more information about the evacuation point, call 2-1-1.

o Morrow County: from the West County Line along Buttermilk Canyon to HWY 207, Mile Post 10 South of Hardman to the South Morrow County line. The Red Cross will be setting up a temporary shelter at the Heppner Elementary School. For more information on evacuations, visit Morrow County Sheriff's Office Facebook page

• Level-2 Emergency Alert – GET SET! Level-2 Be set to evacuate at a moment’s notice for the following areas:

o Gilliam County: Hardman to mile post 10 o Wheeler County: Township 6, Range 23.

Weather: Hot, dry, and unstable conditions will continue with an increased chance of thunderstorms over the fire area. Gusty and erratic outflow winds from the thunderstorms could exceed 40 mph. As thunderstorms pass near the fire, strong, erratic winds could push the fire in any direction. Predominant winds will be 5 to 10 mph from the north-northwest; continuing to push the fire to the south-southeast. Temperatures will remain elevated with highs in the mid- 90s today.

Smoke Information: Visit https://fire.airnow.gov/ for local air quality information.

Flight Restrictions: A Temporary Flight Restriction (TFR) is in place above the Lone Rock Fire area. If you fly, we can’t. Unauthorized drone flights (UAS) pose serious risks to firefighter and public safety and the effectiveness of wildfire suppression operations. Aerial firefighting is suspended when unauthorized UAS are in the area, allowing wildfires to grow larger.