Despite high winds and lightning from back-to-back thunderstorms on Thursday, firefighters made some progress in their efforts to slow the spread of the Durkee Fire with the help of some rainfall.
In some areas, as much as an inch of rain fell, though on the northern edge of the fire only 0.2 inches of rain fell. The rain did, however, bring flood warnings with it. And near Unity, Oregon, winds gusted as high as 66 mph.
Fire activity along I-84 is shown in this supplied photo, posted on July 25, 2024. The freeway was closed in Eastern Oregon as flames from the Durkee Fire approached the roadside. Thunderstorms hit the area with lightning and high winds, but also brought some much-needed rain. The freeway has reopened but officials say the fire remains unpredictable.
Courtesy of Brett Brown / U.S. Forest Service via InciWeb
Baker County Sheriff Travis Ash called the rain a “godsend,” and the Oregon state fire marshal said firefighters were set to “seize the opportunity” of better conditions to push back the fire on the Oregon-Idaho border. It remained unpredictable and was just 20% contained as of Friday morning, according to the government website InciWeb.
The fire covers more than 288,00 acres, remaining the largest fire in the nation.
Eastern Oregon University in La Grande opened its main campus Friday to evacuees from wildfires, offering camping areas for recreational vehicles, access to the campus library and use of the food pantry.
Fire crews plan to focus Friday on the Bridgeport, Shirttail Creek Road and Rye Valley areas.
Interstate 84 remained open Friday morning after closing the previous day. Fire crews will continue with mop up along the interstate, focusing on areas around structures.
In total, 13 commercial structures and 382 residential structures threatened, and so far 12 have been destroyed.
Evacuation warnings remain in place in many areas, but the Baker County Sheriff’s Office reported that orders to evacuate the city of Huntington, population 500, and Snake River Road have been reduced to Level 1 -- Be Ready. On the southern outskirts of Baker City, the Level 1 order has been eliminated.
Though the level of urgency in those areas has been reduced, the sheriff’s office is urging people to remain vigilant because fire conditions can rapidly change.
A number of evacuation centers have been set up in Baker County for those who have been affected, including those who need help sheltering livestock.
Oregon has over 30 large fires, almost all of them in the central or eastern part of the state.
Climate change is increasing the frequency of wildfires sparked by lightning across the Pacific Northwest and western Canada as the region endures recording-breaking heat, with many triple-digit days and bone-dry conditions. Idaho Power has for the first time instituted a pre-emptive power outage, shutting off electricity to thousands of customers to prevent new fire starts and other power grid issues from wires downed by the high winds, the utility said.
Active wildfires in Oregon as of late afternoon of July 26, 2024.
Winston Szeto / OPB
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This story may be updated.
Associated Press writers Sarah Brumfield, Claire Rush, Scott Sonner, Martha Bellisle and Amy Hanson contributed to this report.