Durkee Fire

Durkee Fire
A Bureau of Land Management vehicle at the Durkee Fire on July 21, 2024
Date(s)	July 17, 2024 (2024-07-17) – August 7, 2024 (2024-08-07) (21 days) (PDT)
Location	Baker and Malheur counties, Oregon, U.S.
Coordinates	44°32′52″N 117°28′38″W
Statistics[1]
Status	Ongoing wildfire
Perimeter	95% contained as of September 6, 2024, 4:37 pm (PDT)
Burned area	294,265 acres (1,190.85 km^2)
Map
Perimeter of the Durkee Fire (map data)

The Durkee Fire was a wildfire burning in Baker and Malheur counties in eastern Oregon. As of August 7, 2024,^[update] the fire burned 294,265 acres (1,190.85 km²) and is 95 percent contained. The Durkee Fire was the second-largest wildfire in the United States and was the largest wildfire in Oregon's 2024 wildfire season.

Background

A lightning strike on private property in Baker County, Oregon, caused the fire on July 17, 2024, at approximately 9:30 am.^[1]

Progression

As of August 7, 2024,^[update] the fire burned 294,265 acres (1,190.85 km²) in Baker and Malheur counties^[2] and is 95 percent contained. It is considered a megafire. The Durkee Fire is the largest wildfire in Oregon's 2024 wildfire season and the fifth largest in modern Oregon history.^[1]

The Durkee Fire was at one point the largest active wildfire in the United States.^[3] InciWeb estimated it will be fully contained by August 8.^[1]

Effects

As of July 24, 2024,^[update] the fire has destroyed 2 homes and 12 other buildings.^[2]

On July 20, the fire prompted the evacuation of Huntington, Oregon, a city home to about 500 people. On July 24, gas service to residents in the town was shut off.^[3]

The fire has prompted intermittent closures of Interstate 84 in Oregon (I-84),^[4] including from Pendleton to Ontario on July 24.^[5] The Durkee Fire is active to the west of I-84, but a separate smaller fire called the Thompson Fire has been active to the east of the road.^[6] Additionally, the Cow Valley Fire is to the southeast.^[7]

Idaho Power, a major electricity company in the area, warned customers to prepare for outages, and 7,000 of its customers had no power by the afternoon of July 24.^[3]

The fire has killed hundreds of cattle.^[8]

References

1. "Durkee Fire". InciWeb. United States Forest Service. Archived from the original on July 26, 2024. Retrieved August 3, 2024.
2. Terry, Lynne (July 25, 2024). "Firefighters in Oregon battle biggest blaze in country, with thousands facing evacuation orders". Oregon Capital Chronicle. Retrieved July 26, 2024.
3. Boone, Rebecca (July 24, 2024). "Oregon fire is the largest burning in the US. Thunderstorms and high winds are exacerbating it". Associated Press. Boise, Idaho. Retrieved July 26, 2024.
4. Tuttle, Zoe; Armstrong, Zack (July 23, 2024). "I-84 eastbound lanes reopen after closure due to wildfire in eastern Oregon". KGW. Boise, Idaho. Retrieved July 26, 2024.
5. Urness, Zach; Deins, Elliott; Robledo, Anthony (July 25, 2024). "Oregon wildfire map: Track 38 uncontrolled blazes that have burned nearly 1 million acres". USA Today. Retrieved July 26, 2024.
6. Macuk, Anthony; Raineri, Joe; Cook, Katherine (July 24, 2024). "Durkee Fire in eastern Oregon is the largest fire burning in the US". KGW. Portland, Oregon. Retrieved July 26, 2024.
7. "Durkee, Cow Valley, and Bonita Fires Update for Friday, July 26, 2024". InciWeb. United States Forest Service. July 26, 2024. Retrieved July 26, 2024.
8. Baker, Graeme (July 26, 2024). "'Firenado' rips through California in year's biggest blaze". BBC. Retrieved July 27, 2024.

External links

• Durkee Fire on InciWeb