MONUMENT — Firefighters continue to make inroads on the Courtrock Fire, further extending containment lines, fire managers reported in an update on Saturday, Aug. 10.

The fire is still holding at around 20,000 acres, with containment now at 89%. A total of 320 firefighters are assigned to the blaze, burning south of Monument and west of Long Creek.

The Grant County Emergency Management Office on Saturday announced further downgrades of evacuation zones around the fire, with all evacuation advisories lifted for the communities of Monument and Long Creek.

All evacuation zones adjacent to but outside the Battle Mountain Complex Fire lines in Grant County have been downgraded, officials said. Level 2 zones are now level 1 and Level 1 zones have been removed. The city of Monument is no longer in an evacuation zone.

All evacuation zones west of the Courtrock Fire and south of Highway 402 have been removed, to include the town of Long Creek. Evacuation zones east of the Courtrock Fire to Highway 395 remain in place.

Firefighters continue to secure more containment with direct fire suppression efforts along the upper east side of the fire’s perimeter, just southeast of Merrill Springs, and also along the central east side of the fireline, officials said.

More firefighters will be arriving at the Courtrock Fire from the Lone Rock Fire to help with the remaining hotspots along the eastern fireline. A Type-1 helicopter will assist with water drops this weekend in areas that still show heat within the fire’s interior.

Smoke may be visible from the roads; however, that is not an indicator of risk to containment. Suppression activities on the southern end of the Courtrock Fire have been finished, and crews are currently removing equipment.

Weather: A weather system has brought higher relative humidity levels and cloud cover is shading fuels. Saturday may bring very weak showers and the possibility of lightning or dry lightning. Sunday sees a 20% chance of isolated thunderstorms late in the day, but it is not expected to yield much moisture. No significant weather events are expected in the next few days.

Safety: Remember that fuels in the area such as grass and timber remain very dry and available to burn. Use caution with all open flame, spark hazards and overhead power lines. Check trailer chains carefully to make sure they will not drag. Operate small engines only with spark arresters installed on the muffler. Do not park in high grass. For more ideas, visit the Oregon Department of Forestry website.

Closures: Closure orders are under constant review. Agencies consider many factors with regard to these reviews. Public safety is always the first consideration. Hunting, firewood gathering, and other land uses are also considered. Agencies will open lands to these uses as soon as safety allows.

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

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

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: 89%

Resources: 320