Inmate who walked away from Stouts Creek Fire crew back in custody

Three fires in Eastern Oregon continued to grow in size Thursday, and have forced immediate evacuations in some areas. According to officials, the humidity levels in the fire were the highest they had been since the fire started, spiking to 70 percent humidity in some areas. Carrie Bilbao with the Boise Bureau of Land Management said current conditions are causing extreme fire behavior. The Burnt River Rural Fire Protection Association has also responded with personnel and equipment.

“I think the message that we got with yesterday’s unexpected critical fire weather is that, despite the success we’ve had, this is still a big fire with a lot of life and potential in it. We will continue to be vigilant, holding and widening the lines we have while we work to wrap up the south end”, says Deputy Incident Commander Russ Lane. Efforts to fight that fire are being coordinated out of Unity, 40 miles to the southwest. Several other areas have been issued Level 2 evacuation notices, meaning residents should be ready to leave.

Smoke from distant fires today created hazy skies in Central Oregon. The U.S. Forest Service’s Wallowa-Whitman National Forest and the BLM’s Vale District are involved as well, as the fire is burning in their respective areas of responsibility.

The Soda Fire spans the Oregon-Idaho border and has grown to 218,000 acres. Five bulldozers are on scene, more than 20 engines, 6 water tenders and four hand crews. Burnout operations will continue on the fire’s southwestern front, just north of Upper Cow Creek Road and Beaver Creek. Fires in Baker County and near Mt. Adams are growing fast.