MILTON-FREEWATER — The largest fire burning in the Oregon Department of Forestry’s northeastern district is under control and under investigation.

The Government Mountain Fire burned through about 6 acres 9 miles east of Milton-Freewater. The fire was first reported Sunday, July 11, at 2:19 p.m., according to the Blue Mountain Interagency Dispatch Center. Justin Lauer, forester for the Pendleton Unit of the Oregon Department of Forestry, said it’s the largest fire going in the unit.

“Our crews got a dozer line around it last night, and we’ll be doing mop-up for the next four or five days,” he said the morning of July 12.

The fire was high up on the mountain, he added, and did not pose an immediate threat to structures or infrastructure. Lauer also said two department investigators are looking into what set off the blaze.

The Umatilla National Forest on July 12 announced it temporarily closed the Pomeroy Ranger District.

“The closure is effective immediately and encompasses the entire Pomeroy Ranger District,” according to the press release from the Umatilla National Forest. “Closure barriers and signs will be posted on the ground.”

With persistent hot and dry conditions, active large wildfires and critical fire weather in the forecast, forest officials on the Umatilla National Forest decided to temporarily close all lands the Pomeroy Ranger District manages. The move is to protect public and firefighter safety as personnel suppress wildfires on the district, the press release stated, while also responding to new holdover fires following last week’s thunderstorm.

Hot and dry conditions have challenged firefighters the past several days in suppression efforts battling the Dry Gulch and Green Ridge fires on the Pomeroy Ranger District. Overnight, humidity levels remained extremely low, allowing the fires to spread actively.

Additional information on the Dry Gulch and Green Ridge fires is available on Inciweb at:

• Dry Gulch/Lick Creek Fire: inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/7615.

• Green Ridge Fire: inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/7628.

“These conditions have created an unprecedented potential for extreme fire spread and intensity,” according to the press release. And July 14 comes with a forecast of strong winds over the area, potentially creating critical fire conditions.

Meanwhile, 170 personnel are on the scene of the largest fire just outside Northeastern Oregon.

Lightning on Wednesday, July 7, started the the Shovel Creek, Captain John Creek, and Hoover Ridge fires that now comprise the Snake River Complex in Washington and Idaho on Oregon’s northeastern border. The complex stands at 54,507 acres, according to the Incident Information System.