DAYVILLE — The Phillip W. Schneider Wildlife Area is closed to all public access until further notice due to the Rail Ridge Fire, the Bureau of Land Management announced on Wednesday, Sept. 4.

The Rail Ridge Fire started along the South Fork of the John Day River south of Dayville with several lightning strikes on Monday. It has grown to more than 61,000 acres and is still growing.

To date, the fire has burned large areas of the Murderers Creek flats and areas to the north. The fire continues to be a significant safety threat on all wildlife area lands at this time.

The Malheur National Forest has also closed large areas on the forest immediately next to the wildlife area. Updates on fire information can be found at Oregon Emergency Management Interactive Map.