TROY — Weather forecasts calling for hotter and drier conditions into the weekend continue to be concerts for firefighters battling the Cougar Creek Fire, burning just north of the Washington state line southwest of Clarkston.

Forecasts call for 20-25 mph gusts forecasted along the ridgelines with low relative humidity, as the area enters another warming and drying phase. The National Weather Service issued an excessive heat advisory for Thursday through Saturday; rising temperatures will lead to increasing fire potential in the coming days, officials said. 

The fire has held relatively steady over the last couple of days and still is mapped at 17,602 acres, according to the Thursday update from fire officials. It is 29% contained. Full containment is not expected until around Oct. 1.

The fire is burning within a mountainous and remote area on the Umatilla National Forest bordering the Wenaha-Tucannon Wilderness, about 1 mile west of the intersection of Washington Highway 129 and the Grande Ronde Road. The Grande Ronde River Road continues to be closed from Highway 129 to Troy.

Cause of the fire still is under investigation.  

At 7 p.m. Wednesday, Complex Incident Management Team 12 under Incident Commander Jeff Dimke assumed operational command of the fire.

There are 618 firefighters in 11 crews assigned to the blaze, with the goal of full suppression. They are assisted by two helicopters, 44 engines, 19 water tenders and 23 pieces of heavy equipment.

On Wednesday, large fixed-wing air tankers dropped multiple lines of fire retardant along the Forest Service Road (FSR) 40 up to FSR 510 in support of firefighters on the ground Wednesday. Crews mopped up smoldering remnants from Tuesday’s firing operation on Hansen Ridge and Forest Service Road 4304.

Fire managers met Wednesday with local land managers to ensure concerns about cattle well-being are addressed in the fire management strategy. The night shift worked on holding and improving fire lines.

Crews may continue to conduct tactical firing operations (backfiring) on Forest Service Roads 40 and 43 Thursday as conditions allow.

Structural protection is in place for the residences in Grouse Flat and Hansen Ridge areas. Crews are preparing the indirect line to the west of Grouse Flat to Three Forks trailhead and south, along with chipping on Forest Service Roads 43 and 44. In areas where recent burnout operations occurred, pockets of unconsumed fuels will continue to burn in the coming days.

In Oregon, a Level 2 evacuation notice (“Be Ready”) is in effect for Wallowa County, including all of Grouse Flat from Bear Creek Road, north to the state boundary and the Garfield County line to the Grande Ronde River.

A list of areas closed because of the fire is available at https://tinyurl.com/fireclosures0801.

A temporary flight restriction is in place over the fire. Drone activity is prohibited under the restriction as firefighting aircraft cannot fly with unauthorized drones present. 

Other fire information is available at the Cougar Creek Fire Facebook page.