Cow Valley fire in Malheur County expands rapidly, 20,000 acres burned

PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) -- The Cow Valley Fire in Oregon's Malheur County has seen "substantial fire growth" since it sparked Thursday, burning more than 30 square miles as of Friday morning.

The blaze sits at an estimated 20,000 acres with 0% containment, according to the State of Oregon’s Fires and Hotspots Dashboard.

In light of this, the Fire Marshal had to mobilize task forces from Umatilla and Multnomah counties overnight to assist in trying to control what officials described as a “fast-moving wildfire," pushed by strong winds and triple-digit temperatures.

Further, a Fire Weather Watch has been put in place in the area by the National Weather Service due to forecasted lightning.

“The weather conditions we are seeing across Oregon are extremely concerning. The forecast over the weekend for much of Eastern Oregon will not be doing us any favors,” Oregon State Fire Marshal Mariana Ruiz-Temple said. “The state has seen numerous human-caused wildfires over the last few weeks, and I am asking everyone to be careful and aware of the extreme fire conditions, especially with lightning in the forecast.”

This prompted Gov. Tina Kotek to invoke the Emergency Conflagration Act for the fire on Friday, which allows the state fire marshal to mobilize state resources to protect life and property.

As a result, two other task forces from Lane and Marion counties have also been called to assist in the fire's containment.

The Fire Marshal said any evacuation notices will be issued by the Malheur County Sheriff’s Office. Further, Malheur County Emergency Management and the Red Cross have a shelter in Girvin Hall at the Malheur County Fairgrounds.

This is a developing story. Stay with KOIN 6 News for updates.