Containment Grows on Salmon and Olive Butte Fires; Granite Evacuation Levels Lowered

Fire containment has increased across both the Salmon and Olive Butte fires following recent rain, prompting emergency officials to lower the evacuation status for the community of Granite from Level 3 ("Go Now") to Level 2 ("Be Set").

With structural defense measures nearing completion in Granite and Greenhorn, the Oregon State Fire Marshal's incident management team and its remaining structural task force will demobilize Saturday. Wildland resources will take over full responsibility for home protection in the area, though structural teams remain available to return if conditions deteriorate. Currently, all three of Oregon's OSFM incident management teams are actively deployed protecting communities statewide.

A community meeting is scheduled for Friday, July 17, 2026, at 6 p.m. to discuss the Salmon, Olive Butte, and Anthony fires:

• In-Person: Prairie City School.
• Online Stream: Live on the Salmon Fire OR 2026 Facebook page. Residents can email questions in advance to [email protected].

A total of 1,155 personnel-including 41 engines, 31 crews, and five helicopters-are managing the fires. Both fires saw moderate growth Thursday, but firefighters and aircraft were also able to assist local initial attack crews with extinguishing several new independent fires in the area.

Weather will trend slightly warmer and drier today, with temperatures reaching 80 to 85 degrees and southwest wind gusts up to 15 mph on ridges.

Fire Snapshot

• Salmon Fire: 1,508 acres | 15% contained
  • Latest Status: Aided by recent wetting rains, firefighters completed a direct handline to the wilderness boundary on the southwest flank. Heavy timber and high elevation continue to present challenging conditions on the eastern flank, where crews and hotshots are digging direct lines along the fire's edge to stop it from entering the wilderness.
• Olive Butte Fire: 2,652 acres | 10% contained
  • Latest Status: Crews successfully laid water hoses along the eastern flank during cooler weather to support mop-up operations. On the western flank, firefighters are prioritizing structure protection around homes. Crews have also applied protective fire-resistant wrap to structures at the historic Fremont Powerhouse to shield them from embers. On the northeast flank, a heavy helicopter is dropping water to cool the fire as ground crews prepare Forest Service Road 13 for tactical burnout operations.

Evacuations and Closures

• Evacuations: Evacuation orders issued by the Baker County Sheriff's Office remain in place for Greenhorn and Granite (now Level 2). Residents should stay alert to rapid changes and can sign up for emergency notices via Grant County Everbridge or Baker County Alert.
• Forest Closures: The Salmon, Olive Butte, and Anthony Fire Area Closure remains active. The public is required to avoid the closure zones across the Umatilla, Malheur, and Wallowa-Whitman National Forests.
• Flight Restrictions: A Temporary Flight Restriction (TFR) is strictly enforced over the fire zone. Unauthorized drone activity will immediately ground all firefighting aircraft.

Contact Information

• Fire Information Line: 541-407-5475 (8 a.m. - 8 p.m.)
• Email: [email protected]
• Information Links: InciWeb Page | Blue Mountains Fire Info Blog | AirNow Smoke Map