Unity, OR – Firefighters on the Eldorado Fire hope to take advantage of moderate weather conditions forecasted over the next few days. The fire is currently 18,600 acres with zero percent containment.
The fire started Friday morning and, pushed by high winds through the Eldorado Pass, grew to more than 10,000 acres in less than 24 hours. Lighter winds and cooler temperatures have allowed crews to gain a foothold in several areas.
The fire lies on both the north and south side of Highway 26 between Unity and Ironside, two small communities south of Baker City in eastern Oregon. While fire activity is greatest south of 26 near Ironside Mountain, firefighters are securing containment lines and mopping up on the north side of the highway. Today’s plan is to continue to work the fire to the south into areas with lighter fuels, like grass and sage brush, where containment objectives can be better achieved.
Resources on the fire include 12 engines, 7 dozers and one helicopter. Several hand crews are expected to arrive from other fires in the next couple of days.
