The Cow Valley Fire has burned 20,000 acres in northern Malheur County and forced the closure of a 23-mile section of Highway 26 on July 11, 2024.

A fire reported early Thursday has burned an estimated 83,500 acres of rangeland near Highway 26 in northern Malheur County as of Friday morning.

The Cow Valley Fire, about 9 miles east of Ironside, has burned two abandoned structures and is threatening 30 to 50 homes in the Brogan area, an unincorporated community along Highway 26, according to the Vale District of the Bureau of Land Management.

On Friday morning, July 12, Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek invoked the Emergency Conflagration Act for the fire which allows the state fire marshal to mobilize state resources to protect life and property.

The blaze, which was human-caused and is under investigation, also forced the closure of a 23-mile section of Highway 26 between Ironside and Brogan.

A second fire, also human-caused and under investigation, was reported about two hours earlier about 10 miles south of the Cow Valley Fire.

The Bonita Road Fire is burning south of Highway 26 and is estimated at about 1,800 acres.

No evacuation orders have been issued, but the Malheur County Sheriff’s Office recommends residents in the Brogan area prepare for a possible evacuation.

Curtis Martin, a Baker County rancher who owns grazing land in Cow Valley, said northwest winds at 15 to 20 mph were pushing the fire toward Brogan on Thursday afternoon.

The fire started near Indian Gulch Road, which runs north from Highway 26 to near Malheur Reservoir. The area is about 8 miles south of the border between Baker and Malheur counties.

Vale Rural and Ontario fire departments are providing structure protection.

The Oregon State Fire Marshal’s Office on Thursday announced that task forces from Umatilla and Multnomah counties will be sent to help with the fire.

The Umatilla County task force is made up of local fire agencies from Umatilla, Baker, Gilliam, Morrow and Union counties.

An Oregon State Fire Marshal’s Office Task Force is mobilizing.

“The weather conditions we are seeing across Oregon are extremely concerning. The forecast over the weekend for much of Eastern Oregon will not be doing us any favors,” Oregon State Fire Marshal Mariana Ruiz-Temple said. “The state has seen numerous human-caused wildfires over the last few weeks, and I am asking everyone to be careful and aware of the extreme fire conditions, especially with lightning in the forecast.”

Power was turned off to about 50 homes Thursday as the fire threatened nearby power lines.

Volunteers from the Ironside Rural Fire Protection Association arrived first after the fire was reported on private land. As the fire moved east it burned sections of public land, part of the Vale District, that are scattered in the area of primarily private land. There is also a 640-acre section of state-owned property just south of Malheur Reservoir

At one point Thursday, 16 aircraft were assigned to the fire, dropping water and retardant throughout the day. Seven engines and four dozers were battling the blaze on the ground, as were firefighters from Vale and Burnt River rural fire protection districts, and Sand Hollow Fire District.

More information can be found at Orvad Cow Valley Fire Information | InciWeb (wildfire.gov) and on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100069245917855.

Malheur County Emergency Management and the Red Cross have a shelter in Girvin Hall at the Malheur County Fairgrounds. Those who have questions about the shelter should call 208-519-6675.