Salmon and Olive Butte Fires: 1,451 Personnel Battle Steep Terrain in Baker and Grant Counties

Two significant wildfires in the Umatilla, Wallowa-Whitman, and Malheur National Forests of eastern Oregon continue to challenge firefighters more than ten days after a lightning storm sparked the initial ignitions, with both fires at 15 percent containment as of Sunday, July 19, 2026.

Fire Origins and Early Response

A lightning storm moved through the Tri-Forest area on the evening of July 7, 2026, igniting multiple fires. The Salmon Fire was discovered shortly after midnight, and the Olive Butte Fire was identified the following morning, July 8. Initial attack resources responded promptly but were spread thin due to numerous other lightning-caused starts in the surrounding area.

Northwest Incident Management Team 12, led by Incident Commander Jeff Dimke, took command of the Salmon Fire, the Olive Butte Fire, and five smaller associated fires on July 11 at 6:00 AM. By the evening of July 11, the five smaller fires had been contained. The two larger fires remain active.

Current Status

Salmon Fire: 1,495 acres, 15% contained — located 34 miles southwest of Baker City, OR
Olive Butte Fire: 2,747 acres, 15% contained — adjacent to the Salmon Fire
Total Personnel: 1,451 assigned across both incidents

Challenging Conditions

The fires are burning in extremely steep terrain with heavy dead-and-downed timber that is drier than normal for mid-July. This fuel loading has significantly slowed line construction. Running fire and long-range spotting have created a dynamic and rapidly changing fire environment that requires constant reassessment of tactics and safety protocols.

The Salmon Fire has also spread into the North Fork John Day Wilderness, adding natural resource values — including wilderness character and roadless area protections — to the list of priorities that crews must balance against suppression objectives.

Structure Protection and Community Safety

Evacuation notices are in effect for the communities of Greenhorn, Olive Creek, and Granite in Baker and Grant Counties. From July 12 through 17, the Oregon State Fire Marshal's Green Incident Management Team, along with four structural task forces, supported structure protection operations in the fire area, helping to safeguard homes, cabins, and other improvements.

Firefighter and public safety remain the top priorities, followed by protection of homes and private property and critical infrastructure. Ground crews are working the fires as directly as possible given the terrain and fuel conditions, with multiple helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft providing water and retardant drops in support.

Looking Forward