Crews increase containment 20% on Courtrock Fire

Published 2:06 pm Wednesday, August 7, 2024

MONUMENT: Firefighters increased containment on the Courtrock Fire while continuing to support local agencies battling new fire starts from the Sunday evening lightning storm, fire managers reported in an update on Wednesday, Aug. 7.

The fire burning south of Monument and west of Long Creek continues to hold at around 20,000 acres and is now 77% contained, according to the latest official estimates. A total of 406 firefighters are assigned to the blaze.

Communities near the Courtrock Fire saw a 20% increase Wednesday morning in containment thanks to the efforts of firefighters and support crew, both during the night and day shifts, fire officials said.

Wednesday’s objective is to finish pulling firehose off the fire and patrol the lower south and east sides of the fire where there is no containment and continue mop-up efforts. Smoke will continue to be visible within the interior of the fire, but this is not an indicator of risk to containment.

Meanwhile, resources including crews, engines, water tenders and heavy equipment are supporting the following fires:

• Bennett Fire, a 400-acre fire northwest of Antelope in Wasco County;

• Indian Hollow and Wildhorse fires, now a part of the Parrish Creek Complex, a combined 200-acre fire south of Spray near Steamboat Mountain in Wheeler County;

• Service Creek Fire, an approximately 5-acre fire southwest of the Lone Rock Fire, south of the John Day River in Wheeler County.

• An unnamed fire within the Umatilla National Forest, east of the Lone Rock Fire, which is now contained.

Weather: Sunny on Wednesday with a high in the upper 80s. Southwest wind 6 to 9 mph becoming northeast in the afternoon. Cloudy tonight with a low around 62. Northeast wind 5 to 9 mph becoming east after midnight. Smoke may still be visible this week coming from the interior as fuels dry out and temperatures rise.

Evacuations/Shelters/Closures: No Level 3 (Go Now) evacuations are in effect.

For Grant County evacuation information, visit the Grant County Emergency Management Office’s Facebook page, or sign up for the Grant County Emergency Alert System.

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

The U.S. Forest Service has issued closures for the Malheur National Forest.

Fire Information: 541-208-4369 from 8 A.M. to 8 P.M. – 2024.courtrock@firenet.gov

Acres: 20,019 acres

Start Date: July 21st, 2024

Cause: Lightning

Fuels: Timber, grass, brush

Containment: 77%

Resources: 406