ENTERPRISE — The weather over the next couple of days and the prospect of rain next week were bright spots in the battle against wildfires in Wallowa County, the Board of Commissioners was told at its meeting Wednesday, Sept. 7.

“Over the next 48-72 hours, we could be in the control mode” on the Double Creek Fire raging south of Imnaha, said Jason Loomis of the Pacific Northwest Type 2 team assembled to battle it and the Eagle Cap Wilderness blazes.

He was one of 10 team officials to appear at the commissioners’ meeting to help with the update.

He said that weather forecasters are predicting it to “cool down significantly this weekend … and they’re predicting showers next week.”

But, Loomis said, a red flag warning continues to be in effect as a cold front is expected to cause wind direction to change to a west-northwest direction and gusty winds of more than 50 mph. Only a little rain is expected.

Winds were expected later that afternoon, “but they’ll subside incrementally,” he said.

Higher temperatures later this week are expected before the weekend cooling trend, he said.

Loomis shared a map of the main fires: the Double Creek Fire at 59,510 acres, and in the Eagle Cap, the Sturgill Fire at 16,914 acres and the Nebo Fire at 9,553 acres. The small Goat Mountain 1 and 2 fires are expected to merge with the Sturgill Fire, he said, making the complex more manageable.

He said all are zero percent contained, but that could change soon, given the prospect for some control in coming days.

But, Loomis said, he’s concerned about the northern flank of the Double Creek Fire. The coming winds are expected to push it north. Fire officials have said that since bulldozer lines are best constructed along ridge tops, the Imnaha Canyonlands of the Double Creek Fire are not conducive to that since they run north to south, rather than east to west as is needed to block off the fire.

He did say the southern and eastern flanks of the Double Creek Fire appear to be stable and firefighters have “done a lot of work on the east.”

Loomis said that although all the fires have had “some level of growth,” firefighters have been able to measure some success.

“There are zero confirmed structures lost,” he told the commissioners.

Loomis said the Nebo Fire grew overnight to the north and northeast away from Wallowa Lake, “which is good.”

As for the Sturgill Fire, he said, firefighters are finding success holding a line in the Minam Valley and the Lostine area. Although Level 1 and Level 2 evacuation orders have been given to Lostine Canyon residents, no Level 3 — go now — orders have been given in the Lostine area.

Loomis said most of the smoke experienced in the Wallowa Valley has been from the Sturgill Fire.

Loomis also said the Type 2 team is already working on a long-range fire management plan to turn over to whatever team succeeds PNW Type 2.

Lance Lightly, of the Oregon State Fire Marshal’s Office, said the Conflagration Act that Gov. Kate Brown invoked Sept. 5 allowed for the mobilization of firefighting resources from across the state. Lightly said about nine counties are represented among the firefighters, as well as numerous out-of-state firefighters. But it takes about 12 hours, in general, to bring fire resources into the county.

“We are fighting as one team; we’re cooperating,” he said.

Lightly also said invoking the act can mean Wallowa County firefighting resources may be called upon to help other counties during future fires.

“We all reciprocate, too,” he said.

He agreed that firefighters are already looking to the time they can break camp and go home.

“The quicker we can go home, the better for all of us,” he said.

Matt Howard, of the Oregon Department of Forestry, said his department, too, is involved, although less than 2,000 acres of ODF land is burning.

“We have a small footprint,” he said.

He’s been contacting property owners and other stakeholders to alert them to the fire situation, he said.

County Commissioner Todd Nash offered the Cloverleaf Hall and Wallowa County Fairgrounds in Enterprise if they are needed for fire camps or evacuees. Commission Chairwoman Susan Roberts said there are about 3,000 firefighters at the main fire camp at the Chief Joseph Days Rodeo Grounds in Joseph.

Nash, a rancher, also mentioned that ranchers in the fire-affected areas are going to be hurting after the fire is out. He estimated it would take about three years for the rangeland they graze their cattle to recover enough to again graze.

“With the price of hay, it’ll cost them about $1 million,” he estimated.