MONUMENT – (Press release from ODF IMT 1)

Oregon Department of Forestry Incident Management Team 1, Incident Commander Joe Hessel, received a briefing from local agencies this afternoon regarding the initiation of the fire handover.

Incident Management Team 1 was recently deployed to the Salt Creek fire, was placed on mandatory rest, and will now assume command of the Boneyard fire within 24 hours of the emergency being reported.

The Boneyard fire is facing critical weather and fire behavior conditions as high temperatures and low relative humidity are forecast throughout the week.

Additional personnel and resources have been deployed to fight the Boneyard fire.

The Boneyard Fire is currently 8,285 acres in size and was caused by lightning.

Closure: The Bureau of Land Management has closed public lands along the John Day River from Kimberly to Dale and from Kimberly to Service Creek to allow firefighters to work uninterrupted.

Road closures: A closure of Highway 395 remains in effect between mile markers 50 through 90, beginning 35 miles south of Pilot Rock.

Evacuations: Level 2 (Be Set) and Level 3 (Go Now) evacuations are in effect. For up-to-date evacuation information, visit the Grant County Emergency Management Office Facebook page, https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100068819321423, or sign up for the Grant County Emergency Alert System at https://member.everbridge.net/825462649520134/login.

For current fire restrictions, visit https://gisapps.odf.oregon.gov/firerestrictions/PFR.html. For current fire information, visit www.odfcentraloregon.com.