UKIAH —  County officials have downgraded evacuation levels around the Battle Mountain Complex and Forest Service Road 53 has reopened, fire managers announced in an update on Tuesday, Aug. 13.

In Grant County, there are only Level 1 “Be Ready” and Level 2 “Be Set” evacuation zones in or around the Battle Mountain Complex. The only evacuation zone for the nearby Court Rock Fire is a Level 1 “Be Ready.”

The Battle Mountain Complex, burning in portions of Grant, Umatilla and Morrow counties, is holding at just under 183,000 acres and is 82% contained. A total of 1,084 personnel are assigned to fight the blaze.

The tedious work of extinguishing hot spots on the north end of the Battle Mountain Complex is paying off, fire officials said. Fire managers deemed another piece of fireline just east of Potamus creek contained.

Swale, Ditch and Potamus drainages continue to be the focus of mop-up efforts on the northern lines, and firefighters will continue looking for hot spots Tuesday. Other firefighters are watching for potential new fires should any lightning hit the area.

On the southwest side of the fire, near Monument, crews and equipment continue fireline repair. This work will be inspected by local resource advisors to be sure it meets the expectations set by the Bureau of Land Management, U.S. Forest Service and Oregon Department of Forestry. Additional dozer line repair work will continue Tuesday around Ritter and Dale.

Firefighters removing brush from the road system around Penland Lake are making progress. The cut brush and trees will be piled, processed on site or removed from the area. If needed, the prepared lines could be used to prevent fire from spreading to the north.

With heavy equipment coming off the fire, residents should expect to see lowboys and other equipment on the roads. Please pass with caution and be alert for large trucks on blind corners. 

Weather: An isolated shower or thunderstorm is possible Tuesday morning before drier air will move over the region. It will be partly cloudy Tuesday, becoming mostly sunny in the afternoon. Highs will be in the lower 70s to around 90. Southwest winds are expected. A series of cold fronts will pass through bringing cooler air by the end of the week. 

Smoke: Smoke has moderated but is expected to persist from regional fires in the area. Residents can expect to continue to see smoke from interior pockets of unburned fuel. To see a detailed smoke outlook visit: https://linktr.ee/battlemntcomplex2024

Public Land Closures: The Bureau of Land Management and the Umatilla National Forest have closed public lands in the fire area.

The national forest closure has been reduced, opening everything east of Highway 395 and north of Forest Service Road 53. Forest Service Road 53 is open. Visit https://linktr.ee/battlemntcomplex2024 for more information. 

Road closures and fire restrictions: https://linktr.ee/battlemntcomplex2024

Grant, Morrow and Umatilla County Evacuations: Evacuation levels have been reduced. For more information visit https://linktr.ee/battlemntcomplex2024

Total Complex Estimated Acres: 182,863

Location: Ukiah, Oregon

Cause: Under Investigation

Personnel: 1,084

Containment: 82%

Estimated Cost: $64 million

Resources: 25 crews | 44 engines | 6 helicopters | 26 water tenders | 17 dozers