Containment efforts continue on River Fire burning near Owyhee River Canyon

Containment efforts are proving successful in Eastern Oregon as the River Fire only grew by around 13 acres overnight. Currently, fire crews say the fire is 75% contained.

The River Fire was discovered at 2:18 p.m. on Wednesday, July 10 prompting a swift response from firefighters, a shelter in place warning at Camp Hycliff, and then an evacuation order from the canyon.

Larisa Bogardus of the Vale District Bureau of Land Management told us that they were able to evacuate people, no structures were damaged and firefighters continue to battle the blaze that is zero percent contained.

Bogardus told us the shelter in place and evacuation was a precautionary move in case the fire went towards Camp Hycliff or the Lake Owyhee Dam. The fire is believed to have started about a mile north of the dam near the camp.

We also spoke with Dusty Simpson who works with the Owyhee Irrigation District and they have a complex at the base of the dam that the fire came close to. Dusty is also with the Nyssa Rural Volunteer Fire Department he helped work on the fire from 3:00 p.m. to 1:00 a.m. and sent us some amazing pictures.

The fire took off, but it went in the other direction to the west side of Lake Owyhee. So far it has burned 2,799 acres as the BLM currently has four engines, a helicopter and a hand crew working to contain the fire.

The terrain also makes it difficult as this is rugged country and also why the precautions were made. The Owyhee River and the road run through this canyon, the road is the only way in or out besides boat on the reservoir or dirt roads that require a high clearance vehicle.

The BLM also put into place more fire restrictions coincidentally on the same day the River Fire started. An open flame burn ban goes into effect on Friday on BLM land in the district as Vail firefighters have already responded to 20 fires in the region.

Lake Owyhee Road to the dam is closed and people should avoid the area. Campers were also evacuated from Lake Owyhee State Park and that is also closed, the cause of the fire is under investigation.