Baker County’s relatively tranquil wildfire season changed rapidly on the morning of July 17 when a brief thunderstorm storm spawned lightning bolts that ignited two blazes near Durkee, about 25 miles southeast of Baker City.

One of the fires quickly grew to more than 1,000 acres. The Durkee Fire led to evacuation notices for several homes and closed the Burnt River Canyon Road.

Firefighters saved all the threatened homes.

Lightning also ignited more than a dozen blazes elsewhere in the region, the largest of those in the Pilot Rock area south of Pendleton.

Earlier in the month, a series of fires, which combined have burned more than 300,000 acres, were started by people. All remain under investigation.

https://www.bakercityherald.com/news/local/durkee-residents-say-firefighters-protected-homes-during-long-night/article_507cddd2-4515-11ef-adad-67d89a2316b5.html

https://www.bakercityherald.com/fast-fiery-start/article_41b1eaec-5d23-5928-9aec-8f3f8339d020.html

Fires, whether sparked by people or lightning, have in many cases been growing rapidly thanks in part to a record-setting heat wave that started on July 5 and isn’t likely to recede until July 24 at the earliest, according to the National Weather Service.

Through July 18, the temperature reached at least 100 degrees on six days in July at the Baker City Airport. That’s the most triple-digit days in any month ever at the airport, where temperature records date to 1943. And with forecasts for highs above 100 on at least three more days, this July could break the record for most triple-digit days in a calendar year — 8, set in 1961.

https://www.bakercityherald.com/news/local/heat-wave-continues-some-computer-models-hint-at-possible-relief-next-week/article_ca50af1c-4457-11ef-8130-efaf38b51b2e.html

The first batch of air sample tests taken during the demolition of the Central Building in Baker City on July 9 showed asbestos levels far below what is considered a health concern.

https://www.bakercityherald.com/news/local/air-samples-taken-during-central-building-demolition-show-asbestos-levels-far-below-allowed-limits/article_e9a4a0f0-454a-11ef-befb-3701889d3a64.html

Alexander Banks has joined the Herald staff for a 10-week internship through the Charles Snowden Program for Excellence in Journalism. Banks, a 2024 graduate of Oregon State University, had a busy first week, covering, among other things, a dog show in Baker City.

https://www.bakercityherald.com/news/local/baker-city-herald-welcomes-summer-intern/article_96b0af3e-41e3-11ef-8a69-43d62c633b3e.html