UPDATE: As of July 27th 2024
The Cow Valley Fire is now 99% contained with over 133,000 acres of burn area.
UPDATE: As of July 24 2024
The Cow Valley Fire now measures in at 133,490 acres as fire crews have worked to get the wildfire to 91% containment.
The fire is still listed as 'human caused' but the exact cause has not been identified at this time.
UPDATE: As of July 21st 2024
Firefighters on Cow Valley are currently conducting patrols to locate and extinguish any remaining hot spots. There is no anticipated fire spread, and the fire behavior is described as smoldering.
Personnel: 13 | Fire size: 133,490 acres | Cause: Human caused |Containment: 78%
UPDATE: As of July 20th 2024
Personnel: 303 | Fire size: 133,490 acres | Cause: Human caused |Containment: 77%
Firefighters working on the Cow Valley are patrolling to find any pockets of heat to extinguish. No fire spread is expected, and fire behavior is characterized as smoldering.
UPDATE: The Bureau of Land Management is now offering a monetary reward for any information leading to the identification of the individual(s) responsible for starting the Cow Valley Fire as well as other nearby fires which are believed to be human-caused.
The fires all began in the early morning hours of July 11, between 1 am and 5 am.
Anyone with information on the cause of the fires can call We Tip Anonymous at 1-800-47-ARSON, or online at wetip.com.
UPDATE: No growth was detected in the Cow Valley fire with the size still at 133,408 acres and as a result of successful firefighting operations, containment is at 77%.
Yesterday's thunderstorm didn't do too much damage although lighting did strike one area that firefighters were able to douse with 1,400 gallons of water.
Officials are confident that the fire will not grow and characterize the fire behavior as smoldering.
UPDATE: Overnight growth of the Cow Valley fire was minimal and as of Tuesday morning the fire is now 133,408 acres in size and crews have achieved a containment level of 16%.
The Oregon State Fire Marshal's Red Team is demobilizing its incident management team and remaining structural task forces this morning due to the reduced threat to structures.
There will be a community meeting on Wednesday, July 17 at Vale Senior Center from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. MST for the public to learn more about the fire and get connected with resources.
UPDATE: The Cow Valley Fire has continued to spread, reaching around 132,528 acres on Monday, July 15.
Aviation resources continue to drop water and fire retardant on the western edges of the fire to slow the growth rate of the flames.
Readiness conditions have been lifted for the Vale, Brogan, Jaimeson, and Willow Creek areas while the Westfall area, including Bonita, Indian Valley, and Clover Creek areas, are still in the "Be Set" level of preparedness.
For the exact preparedness level in your area, head to the State of Oregon Fire Dashboard.
Updated information confirms that the fire was human caused as an investigation into the situation continues.
UPDATE: As of July 14, 2024
As of 3 p.m., conditions have improved along the Highway 26 corridor and north west of Vale, according to the Malheur County Sheriff's Office. The preparedness in the area has downgraded to "Get Ready" which means to make plans for where you want to go, have a bag ready and put plans in place for livestock.
The City of Vale is not in danger at this time. Only those that live on the Wildland/Urban Interface, north west of Vale, need to follow these warnings.
Westfall area, including Bonita, Indian Valley and Clover Creek areas, have been UPGRADED to the “Get Set” or the next level of preparedness.
Fire activity on the Cow Valley Fire has picked up on the southern side of the fire and preparations should be made in case weather conditions and fire behavior increase. You should have your travel supplies and companion animals ready to go within 10 minutes of notice to evacuate. Plans should be set. Don’t go anywhere yet unless you need extra time to get out and travel.
Evacuees are welcome at the Red Cross Evacuation Shelter in Ontario at the Malheur County Fairgrounds, located at 795 N.W. 9th Street. The fairgrounds can accommodate companion animals, large animals and there is space for dry camping in RVs as well as showers, air conditioning and breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
UPDATE: As of July 14, 2024
As of 6:00 a.m. today, the Cow Valley Fire and Bonita Fire are being managed together by the Oregon State Fire Marshall Red Team and NW Team 6. The Red Team will handle structure protection and defend key infrastructure, while NW Team 6 will focus on suppressing the fire and coordinating firefighting resources like crews, aircraft, and heavy equipment. More resources are being ordered and are expected to arrive in the coming days.
- Start date: July 11, 2024
- Location: 9 miles east of Ironside, OR
- Total personnel: 194
- Fire size: 114,559
- Cause: Human caused, under investigation
- OSFM task forces: 5
- Containment: 0%
UPDATE: As of July 13th, 2024
Equipment operators worked overnight Thursday to create a dozer line aimed at protecting the town of Brogan from the Cow Valley Fire, which is burning on private property and lands managed by the Vale Bureau of Land Management, about 9 miles east of Ironside, Oregon.
Firefighters bolstered the dozer line with a tactical firing operation between Malheur Reservoir and Brogan. Four task forces from the Oregon State Fire Marshal’s Office are focused on safeguarding 45 homes and establishing defensible space around private properties south of Brogan. The agency’s Red Incident Management Team is set to join the efforts on Saturday morning.
Crews from Vale BLM are actively constructing and reinforcing lines on the south side of the highway, where the fire is most intense. A dozer line reaching the top of Juniper Mountain was completed today, and a hand crew from Snake River Valley will start reinforcing that line on Saturday.
As of Saturday evening, the fire has spread to approximately 114,000 acres. There are currently 120 personnel assigned, utilizing 9 engines, one hand crew, 5 dozers, 2 water tenders, and 16 aircraft. A Hotshot crew and two helicopters are expected to join the response on Saturday.
Highway 26 reopened Friday afternoon, but motorists are advised to be cautious of slow-moving equipment and firefighters in the area, and to avoid the stretch between Ironside and Brogan if possible.
The Northwest 6 Complex Incident Management Team will conduct a briefing on Saturday morning, spend the day familiarizing themselves with the situation, and assume command of the fire on Sunday morning. This transition will provide Vale BLM with additional resources and allow local teams to focus on other fires and emerging incidents.
The Bonita Road Fire, located 9 miles southeast of Ironside, has shown minimal movement today, covering an estimated 2,727 acres. Crews have completed mop-up operations 15 feet from the dozer line, achieving 20 percent containment.
Both fires have been classified as human-caused, prompting investigations by the Bureau of Land Management, Malheur County Sheriff’s Office, and Oregon State Police.
The Cow Valley Fire now covers over 73,000 acres and remains 0% contained.
Evacuation awareness has been set at level 1, meaning residents are safe but encouraged to follow instructions from authorities. The latest updates on the situation can be found on the Malheur County Sheriff's Office Facebook page.
A Facebook page compiling information on the fire has been launched and made available here.
The Cow Valley fire has changed direction and is now traveling east, toward the town of Brogan at a high rate of speed. The fire is on both the south and north sides of the highway. Citizens living in Brogan and in and around the Brogan canyon may be at risk if fire crews can't contain it.
Brogan citizens are strongly encouraged to make preparations to vacate your home, should the order come at a later time. US26 is currently closed at Brogan due to the fire.
According to Larisa Bogardus with the Vale District of the Bureau of Land Management, progress on containing the north side of the fire has been going well as officials shift their focus to the south side.
Bogardus says only two abandoned structures have been lost to the flames, and that no mandatory evacuations are in place at this time.
Idaho Power confirms there are several downed power lines south of the fire which may leave ranchers in the area without power for an extended time period.
Residents are running sprinklers on dry areas as some prepare to leave while other say they'll stay put until the fire arrives.
The American Red Cross of Greater Idaho announced that they will be opening a shelter for those effected in a comment on the Facebook alert from the Malheur County Sheriff's Office. The Malheur County Fairgrounds at 795 NW 9th St in Ontario will be open to house those displaced with space for RVs and housing for large animals.
RELATED | Burn ban in effect for Ontario
More information will come, so return back for more updates.
