The lightning-caused Rail Ridge Fire has grown to 135,061 acres according to an infrared flight conducted around midnight on September 7. Because of active weather in the area, some sections of the fire were not able to be mapped. Containment remains at 7%.
A public meeting will be held today, Sunday, September 8, 2024, at 3 p.m. at the John Day Airbase, 72000 Airport Road, John Day, Oregon. The meeting will be live-streamed on the Malheur National Forest Facebook page, depending on technology availability.
For current fire information, visit: https://linktr.ee/RailRidgeFire.
Closures and Evacuations
- Closures: Partial closures are in effect for the Ochoco National Forest and Bureau of Land Management (BLM) lands. For more details and closure maps, visit the Ochoco National Forest, Malheur National Forest, and BLM websites.
- Evacuations:
- Crook County: Visit the Crook County Emergency Management website and the Crook County Sheriff’s Office Facebook page for the latest updates.
- Wheeler County: Find real-time updates on the Wheeler County Sheriff’s Office Facebook page.
- Grant County: Check the Grant County Emergency Management Facebook page for evacuation information.
Operational Update
Overnight Saturday, multiple thunderstorms passed over the fire area. Most of the fire activity continues on the northern edge, where it is burning through timber and sage fields. The fire remains stalled on the ridge south of Dayville and Highway 26, west of South Fork Road.
On Saturday, additional task forces from Benton and Washington counties, and two from Washington state, arrived to assist. These crews spent the night gaining situational awareness along the fire line, assessing and identifying structures in their assigned areas.
Significant fire activity is expected to persist today. Crews are extending structural surveys and preparing surfaces around the Dayville area. Oregon State Fire Marshal crews are supporting wildland operations while continuing to assess and address structural threats.
On the eastern and southern edges, the fire has remained within proposed containment lines, providing firefighters with an opportunity to improve and strengthen those lines. Crews held the fire along the Paulina Suplee Highway and protected structures adjacent to the fire line.
Weather Forecast
The weather remains unsettled today, with showers and occasional thunderstorms expected through the morning. Conditions are forecasted to clear by the afternoon, with light and variable winds and some relief from heavy smoke. However, this clearing could result in more active fire behavior. Winds will generally stay light, but localized gusts from thunderstorms may cause erratic fire behavior. Daytime temperatures are expected to drop over the next few days, though vegetation remains extremely dry, and any new starts from recent lightning strikes could quickly spread due to receptive fuels.