Badlands Complex Fires 2024

08/10/2024

08/08/2024

Evacuation levels for the have been expanded.

08/07/2024

🔥Town Gulch Fire Exhibits Rapid Growth, Prompting Additional Evacuations 🔥

BAKER CITY, Ore. (Aug. 06, 2024) – Baker County Sheriff's Office has issued additional evacuation levels for areas around the Town Gulch Fire. For the most current list of Level 1, 2, and 3 evacuations, follow the sheriff’s office on Facebook (tinyurl.com/3auvka4j). Residents should sign up to receive emergency notifications through Baker County ALERT (tinyurl.com/884czdrf).
American Red Cross of Idaho and East Oregon has opened an evacuation shelter at the Lions Club of Halfway (225 Lions Street, Halfway, Ore.). For more evacuation-shelter information, call 800-853-2570.
Although overnight fire growth and activity was minimal, hot, dry, windy conditions on Tuesday contributed to the Town Gulch Fire being extremely active. Early afternoon the fire crossed to the east side of Eagle Creek and quickly spread to the southeast. By midafternoon, the fire was estimated to be about 800 acres. It continued to progress southward in the Eagle Creek drainage to just north of New Bridge. The fire also spread eastward, crossing Forest Road 77. As of this evening, the fire has topped the West Wall and is currently burning downslope in heavy timber toward Pine Valley. It is estimated to be 10,000 acres.
Fifteen aircraft assisted the suppression effort Tuesday, conducting both water and retardant drops. Additional ground resources arrived Tuesday morning, bringing total personnel to 112. Intense fire behavior Tuesday afternoon resulted in all resources focusing on structure protection.
Oregon State Fire Marshall (OSFM) is sending its Blue Incident Management Team (IMT) and four structural task forces to the incident to help Northeast Oregon Interagency Type 3 IMT manage this rapidly evolving fire.

📷 Cody Austell

08/07/2024

Additional evacuation levels as of 7:30 p.m.

- Evacuation Level Update for 8/6/24 7:30 P.M.-

Additional evacuation levels have been issued.

⚠Level 3 (GO NOW): south McBride Campground to Carson Creek and west of Carson Creek to Valley View Lane then west of Lee Creek to Foothill Ditch, west of Foothill Ditch to Orr Hill Lane and Lone Fir Road intersection then following along the base of the hill to Highway 86. North of Highway 86.

⚠Level 2 (Be Set): encompasses the level 3 GO NOW zones on the northwest and south sides. South of Dempsey Creek, Basin Creek, Spring Creek, and Fuller Creek, east of Tackle Gulch and Gem Mine Road and north of New Bridge and Thorn Gulch.

⚠Level 1 (Be Ready): from Carson near the Cornucopia Highway and Allstead Lane intersection, west of the Cornucopia Highway, South Main Street, Highway 12 to the Halfway Spur, and Highway 86 to the base of the west wall.

⚠Level 1 (Be Ready): south of the 7725 and 77 Road intersection, east of the 70 Road (continuing down to the Idaho Power powerlines), north of the powerlines to Skin Gulch, then north of Carnahan Lane ending near Summit Creek.

📍Key: Green= Level 1 (BE READY), Yellow= Level 2 (BE SET), Red= Level 3 (GO NOW)
S. Forest Service - Wallowa Whitman National Forest
Department of Forestry - Northeast Oregon District
Helpful (Bulletin Board)

08/07/2024

- Evacuation Level Update for 8/6/24 7:30 P.M.-

Additional evacuation levels have been issued.

⚠Level 3 (GO NOW): south McBride Campground to Carson Creek and west of Carson Creek to Valley View Lane then west of Lee Creek to Foothill Ditch, west of Foothill Ditch to Orr Hill Lane and Lone Fir Road intersection then following along the base of the hill to Highway 86. North of Highway 86.

⚠Level 2 (Be Set): encompasses the level 3 GO NOW zones on the northwest and south sides. South of Dempsey Creek, Basin Creek, Spring Creek, and Fuller Creek, east of Tackle Gulch and Gem Mine Road and north of New Bridge and Thorn Gulch.

⚠Level 1 (Be Ready): from Carson near the Cornucopia Highway and Allstead Lane intersection, west of the Cornucopia Highway, South Main Street, Highway 12 to the Halfway Spur, and Highway 86 to the base of the west wall.

⚠Level 1 (Be Ready): south of the 7725 and 77 Road intersection, east of the 70 Road (continuing down to the Idaho Power powerlines), north of the powerlines to Skin Gulch, then north of Carnahan Lane ending near Summit Creek.

📍Key: Green= Level 1 (BE READY), Yellow= Level 2 (BE SET), Red= Level 3 (GO NOW)
S. Forest Service - Wallowa Whitman National Forest
Department of Forestry - Northeast Oregon District
Helpful (Bulletin Board)

08/07/2024

has been a critical resource for protecting our eastern Oregon communities this fire season! U.S. Forest Service - Wallowa Whitman National Forest Oregon Department of Forestry

08/07/2024

This is a rapidly developing situation. Check frequently for updates to evacuation levels Baker County Sheriff's Office

- Evacuation Level Update for 8/6/24-

Fire activity on the has significantly increased, prompting additional evacuations.

⚠Level 3 (GO NOW): now includes the area north of Sparta Lane and the Idaho Power line, east of Shanghai Creek and Sparta Butte Road and the 7735 Road that runs north and south, south of Fizz Spring and McBride Campground, and west of the 77 Road.

⚠Level 2 (BE SET): south of Dempsey Creek, Basin Creek, Spring Creek, and Fuller Creek. West of the forest boundary line near Carson and Halfway, north of New Bridge and Thorn Gulch, east of Tackle Gulch and Gem Mine Road.

⚠Level 1 (BE READY): includes New Bridge, in the Halfway area from the forest boundary line down to western edge of Halfway to Carson.

BCSO deputies and Baker County SAR members are performing notifications to residents in the affected areas.

We encourage citizens to sign up for emergency notifications, which can be done here: https://public.alertsense.com/signup/?regionid=1357

📍Key: Green= Level 1 (BE READY), Yellow= Level 2 (BE SET), Red= Level 3 (GO NOW)
S. Forest Service - Wallowa Whitman National Forest
Department of Forestry

08/06/2024

Monitor the Baker County Sheriff's Office page for current Town Gulch Fire evacuation orders and notifications.

- Evacuation Level Update for 8/6/24-

Fire activity on the has significantly increased, prompting additional evacuations.

⚠Level 3 (GO NOW): now includes the area north of Sparta Lane and the Idaho Power line, east of Shanghai Creek and Sparta Butte Road and the 7735 Road that runs north and south, south of Fizz Spring and McBride Campground, and west of the 77 Road.

⚠Level 2 (BE SET): south of Dempsey Creek, Basin Creek, Spring Creek, and Fuller Creek. West of the forest boundary line near Carson and Halfway, north of New Bridge and Thorn Gulch, east of Tackle Gulch and Gem Mine Road.

⚠Level 1 (BE READY): includes New Bridge, in the Halfway area from the forest boundary line down to western edge of Halfway to Carson.

BCSO deputies and Baker County SAR members are performing notifications to residents in the affected areas.

We encourage citizens to sign up for emergency notifications, which can be done here: https://public.alertsense.com/signup/?regionid=1357

📍Key: Green= Level 1 (BE READY), Yellow= Level 2 (BE SET), Red= Level 3 (GO NOW)
S. Forest Service - Wallowa Whitman National Forest
Department of Forestry

08/06/2024

Looking for information about the Town Gulch Fire? Go to https://www.facebook.com/WallowaWhitmanNF

08/06/2024

The Rocky Mountain Complex Incident Management Team 2 would like to thank you all for welcoming our team into your communities! From talking with firefighters out working, to attending public meetings last week, to locals volunteering to support food service, to asking questions and talking with Public Information Officers (PIO)s in the community and online, you all have been kind and understanding as we managed the fires.

As of today, 8 p.m. a local type 4 organization has assumed control over the . This organization is comprised of a division group supervisor from the Operations section to serve as incident commander. Other resources staying on include a heavy equipment boss, a resource advisor, a field observer, 2 type 3 engines, 2 type 4 engines, 2 water tenders, 2 excavators, 2 dozers, and medical coverage. Additional resources and equipment will being to be released into the national ordering system for reassignment to other fires.

Some functions in the type 4 organization with revert to the district office. This includes the information function. For fire information, please monitor this page, Inciweb page (https://inciweb.wildfire.gov/incident-information/orvad-badland-complex-2024), or reach out directly to BLM's Public Affairs Specialist, Larisa Bogardus at [email protected] or 541-523-1407. Lastly, please note that formal fire updates and operations videos will end after today.



(Video is of Division Supervisor, Jeremy Dalman describing how fire managers managed the complex)