Containment lines hold on Lone Rock Fire

Published 12:31 pm Saturday, August 3, 2024

LONEROCK — Containment lines on the Lone Rock Fire held strong despite challenging weather conditions, fire mnagers announced in their daily upate on Saturday, Aug. 3.

The fire, burning in portions of Gilliam, Wheeler and Morrow counties, remains at just over 137,000 acres with 84% containment.

On Friday, crews were able to maintain the containment line despite the increased potential for extreme fire behavior, fire official said. Crews patrolling and monitoring the fire perimeter reported no new starts or spot fires, and minimal fire activity overall. Heavy equipment was used to break up piles of mixed conifer debris to allow crews utilizing hoselays to treat any materials still holding heat. Operations for today remain the same, and crews hope to finish chipping work that has been ongoing over the past several days.

As activity decreases across the fire area, some crews are being shifted to assist on nearby fires with more critical needs. Southwest Area Team 2 took over management of the Courtrock Fire this morning. The team will continue to manage the Lone Rock Fire as well, and crews there will remain focused on further securing the line and adding containment to the fire’s perimeter.

Weather: A red flag warning is in effect from 2 PM Saturday to 7 AM Sunday PDT. It will be cooler today with increased cloud cover, temperatures in the mid-80’s to mid-90’s. Winds will be out of the northwest, with gusts between 15-20 mph. There is 20 percent chance of thunderstorms before 11pm.

Evacuations: There are no Level 3 evacuations in place for the Lone Rock Fire.

For Gilliam County evacuation information, visit Gilliam County Sheriff’s Office Facebook page.

For Wheeler County evacuation information, visit Wheeler County Sheriff’s Office Facebook page.

For Morrow County evacuation information, visit Morrow County Sheriff’s Office Facebook page.

Closures: For updated road closure information, visit https://www.tripcheck.com/.

Umatilla National Forest Order Number 06-14-02-24-02 includes prohibitions within the Heppner Ranger District on the Umatilla National Forest.

Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Prineville District Office issued an Emergency Public Land Closure on BLM-managed lands along the main stem John Day River and along the North Fork John Day River from Kimberly, Ore. to Dale, Ore.

Fire Information: 541-208-4369 from 8 A.M. to 8 P.M. – 2024.0404rvlonerock@firenet.gov

InciWeb: https://inciweb.wildfire.gov/inciden…/orprd-lone-rock-fire

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LoneRockFireInformation

Acres: 137,222 acres

Start Date: July 13, 2024

Cause: Under Investigation

Fuels: Timber, Understory, Grass

Containment: 84%

Resources: 407