Despite rainy, cooler weather is western Oregon, fire conditions are still volatile in central and eastern Oregon. Oregon Department of Forestry crews in eastern Oregon were kept busy by several new fires Saturday.
The Hall Hill Two fire was the largest, estimated at 17 acres, burning in brush, timber and juniper about three miles west of Prairie City. This lightning-caused fire was reported Saturday night. Five ODF engines, two crews, water tender and bulldozer all responded to the fire. This fire was fully contained by Sunday afternoon. ODF crews were assisted on the Hall Hill Two fire by resources from the Prairie City Rural Fire District and the U.S. Forest Service.
ODF Central Oregon District resources also responded to 3 small fires in the region: a lightning-caused fire near Ritter that was held to under an acre, a lightning-struck tree afire north of Mount Vernon and a one-acre fire northeast of Monument, the cause of which is currently under investigation.
Two new large-acreage fires were also reported burning Saturday on Bureau of Land Management lands; a fire burning 13 miles south of Dayville and a 1,000 acre fire 29 miles northwest of Fields in Harney County.
Kevin Weeks
Oregon Department of Forestry