BLM Vale District and RFPA crews are tackling a new 12,000-acre lightning-started wildfire near Harper in eastern Oregon.

(Update: new size estimate)

HARPER, Ore. (KTVZ) — “Significant resources” responded Wednesday to a new lightning-sparked wildfire, the Little Valley Fire near Harper in eastern Oregon, which quickly grew to 12,000 acres and threatened two structures.

The fire was reported around 1 p.m. MT after a storm cell moved through the area, said Larisa Bogardus, BLM Vale District public affairs specialist. It was estimated to be 4,000 acres by late afternoon, and aerial mapping put the size at 12,000 acres.

“We are bringing in a Type 3 incident management team,” as planes and helicopters were still dropping retardant and water Wednesday evening, Bogardus said.

Three Vale Rangeland Fire Protection Association engines and three BLM engines were initially dispatched to the fire as storm cells also caused structural and other damage in southeastern Oregon and Nyssa, W. Idaho.

Four large air tankers (LAT) and five single-engine air tankers (SEAT) dropped retardant while a Type 2 helicopter dropped water from the nearby Malheur River. An RFPA bulldozer and a BLM bulldozer were also on site.

ODOT said the fire caused a brief closure of U.S. Highway 20 near mile marker 231 and advised drivers on TripCheck to use caution in the area.

A second fire, on Morgan Mountain near Huntington, Oregon, was quickly contained to 30 acres.

For more information, contact Bogardus at 541-523-1407 or [email protected].