Heroism and dedication of local volunteers save town but Lonerock Fire continues to rage and expands to Wheeler and Morrow County
The Lonerock Church and the iconic big lone rock escaped unharmed from the Lonerock Fire. The town of Lonerock was saved thanks to the work of more than 70 local volunteers, the South Gilliam Fire District, and firefighters with the state and federal government.
The Lonerock Fire started on Saturday, July 13 and was just 4,200 acres in size. Within 24 hours it had exploded to 50,000 acres. The fire threatened the tiny town of Lonerock and several nearby ranches and farms.
The Lonerock Fire came within a few yards of burning structures in Lonerock. Several local volunteers worked more than 30 consecutive hours to save homes, structures and livestock.
Firefighters from Florida joined the Lonerock Fire on Sunday. The group was part of the US Forest Service Southern Gray Team with the Level 3 Incident Management Team.
The town of Lonerock sits like a green oasis, surrounded by charred and smoldering remains of the Lonerock Fire. The blaze has burned more than 71,000 acres and is now threatening ranches and communities near Winlock in Wheeler County and near Hardman in Morrow County. The Complex Incident Management Team, the top tier of response from the federal government, has brought more than 1,000 firefighters and support staff to join local and state efforts to quell the blaze.
LONEROCK, OR - A rapidly escalating grassland fire near the town of Lonerock, in Gilliam County, has necessitated significant emergency response efforts since its outbreak on Saturday, July 13.
Initially spanning 4,200 acres, the Lonerock Fire surged to over 50,000 acres within a mere 24-hour period. In this short time, the Lonerock Fire became one of the largest uncontained fires on the West Coast.
In response to the escalating threat, the Gilliam County Sheriff's Office issued a Level 3 "Go Now" Evacuation order for the town of Lonerock and nearby residents on Sunday, July 14, at 3:58 PM.
Subsequently, a Type 3 Incident Management Team was swiftly deployed out of Redmond, arriving on the scene early Sunday to coordinate firefighting operations.
The Gilliam County Fairgrounds served as mission control for the firefighting effort.
Approximately 190 US Forest Service firefighters with the Southeast Gray Team surged into the area on Sunday to support about 70 local landowners and volunteers that were working to contain the blaze.
Locals quickly worked to create fire breaks by bulldozing lines, with many volunteers working without sleep for more than 30 hours.
Most of the townspeople in Lonerock evacuated to Condon or stayed with family members. Some remained and worked with the small firefighting force to help prevent the fire from burning the town of Lonerock, as well as nearby homes on farms and ranches.
The town of Lonerock was saved, with the fire enveloping all of the grassland and juniper around it.
The fire came within ten feet of burning the old Lonerock School and several homes on the edge of town.
A red-flag warning with high winds created significant problems for the firefighting effort and the blaze continued to grow on Sunday night and on Monday. The fire continued moving to the southeast towards Wheeler and Morrow County.
As of press time, the fire had grown to nearly 71,000 acres and a Level 2 evacuation "stand by" order had been given to the ghost town of Hardman in Morrow County and for the northeast part of Wheeler County. The fire was still at only 10% containment.
Due to the continued threat, the Forest Service called in the Complex Incident Management Team on Sunday. The Complex Incident Management Team is the highest level of response that exists at the federal level.
More than 1,000 firefighters were expected to arrive on Tuesday, July 16.
The Gilliam County Fairgrounds have been transformed into a bustling hub of activity. Sleeping areas inside the arena, with catering services and laundry were established.
On Tuesday, the Level 3 Incident Mgt. Team transferred operations over to the Complex Incident Mgt Team.
This team, known for handling severe wildfires, will bring additional resources, with specialized support services, and logistical infrastructure.
Resources had been shifted from the town of Lonerock to the southeast, where the fire is close to timber and pushing into Morrow County.
US Forest Service staff say that the grassland fire burned hot and moved extremely fast.
Fortunately, no structures have been lost, and there have been no reported injuries among residents or firefighters in Lonerock.
The cause of the fire is under investigation and is thought to be man-made as there were no lightning strikes in the area.
With a very wet spring, vegetation in the area is thick. After a two-week hot spell, plants had gone dry and provided a perfect fuel source for the fire, as wind gusts grew to over 30 miles per hour.
With the heavy presence of firefighters, there is hope that the blaze can be contained persistent high winds and dry conditions, which continue to fuel the fire's growth. Firefighting efforts have been augmented by aerial support, with airplanes and helicopters strategically dropping retardant and providing reconnaissance over the affected areas.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation, while various local and federal agencies, including the Southern Area Gray Team and numerous rural fire districts, collaborate to contain and mitigate the fire's impact.
Affected communities and stakeholders are urged to remain vigilant and stay tuned for further updates as the situation evolves.
The Gilliam County Sheriff's Office has urged people in the area to not fly drones or to interfere with the firefighting effort.
Area residents are encouraged to call the Lonerock Information number with any questions or tips between 8 AM and 8 PM - (541) 208-4369.
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