The Dixie Creek fire that prompted Prairie City to cancel its fireworks celebration is not a threat to structures as winds are currently blowing the fire away from the city as crews have contained 50% of the blaze with a dozer line.

The favorable wind has allowed Prairie City to avoid a worse case scenario, as of 10 p.m. on Saturday, the fire, which officials estimated had grown to 300 acres, is actually 570 acres according to Todd McKinley, Grant County Sheriff.

McKinley said the initial estimate had been based on an initial assessment.

According to a Saturday Oregon Department of Forestry press release, the fire was ignited by a lightning strike on Thursday and had been smoldering, unobserved until just before 2 p.m. Saturday when it was reported.

Wind and hot temperatures caused the fire to rapidly spread through timber, brush, and grass on lands protected by ODF’s John Day Unit and Prairie City Rural Fire Department, according to the ODF press release. 

Christie Shaw, and ODF public information officer said the fire is roughly three miles north of Prairie City.

McKinley said the jump in size did not surprise him. He said Saturday was a windy day and that currently the wind is “not an issue.”

Shaw said ODF and the sheriff’s office will monitor current wind conditions.

Meanwhile, resources stepped up quickly, a Saturday ODF report stated.

The list of resources included four large air tankers, three single-engine air tankers, four helicopters, five dozers, a contract crew with 20 firefighters, and two teams from the Malheur National Forest, the press release noted.

According to the report, nine engines and the La Grande Interagency Hotshots rounded out the team. Additionally, the press release said, Prairie City’s Rural Fire Department stepped into suppress the fire as it spread to its protection area. 

With hot and dry conditions expected to persist throughout the week, fire danger ranges from high to extreme, which means fire crews will remain busy.

Call 911 to report a wildfire. For more information, visit bluemountainfireinfo.blogspot.com.

With fire crews spread thin as more fires pop up, McKinley said people who insist on lighting off fireworks need to celebrate using their fireworks safely.

“If at all possible,” he said. “Just don’t use them.”

Additionally, he noted that the fire coming on so fast and so close to Prairie City is a good reminder to be prepared to evacuate their home quickly.

“As ever,” he said. “Have a plan if you need to leave your home quickly; this is a good reminder.”