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--> --> Associated Press Firefighters walk out of the forest near Monument on Monday after a twelve-hour shift mopping up the Monument Complex fire. Helicopters help with fires By Amalie Young Associated Press Writer PORTLAND - Helicopters bombarded a wildfire burning north of Monument with bucket after bucket water on Monday, trying to keep flames from reaching the Umatilla National Forest and stands of dry timber. Choppers lined up in the air over the North Fork of the John Day River as they waited their turn to fill their buckets and head back up the valley to drop their load. Eight helicopters were attacking the Mallory fire, part of the 28,717-acre Monument Complex fire near the tiny towns of Monument, Dale and Ukiah. "Once it got into dry timber, this wouldn't end until the snow flies," said David Widmark, a spokesman for the Northwest Interagency Coordination Center in Portland. The Monument Complex fire, which consists of seven individual fires, is 55 percent contained - but still a top priority for firefighters. Another concern for crews was the Horse Creek fire that was creeping through short grass about two miles outside of Imnaha. The slow-moving fire was ignited by lightning a week ago, and has grown steadily to 15,310 acres, with 40 percent containment. Over the weekend, the fire had come to within a quarter-mile of the town. "It's just a really stubborn fire, because there's quite a bit of timber in there," said Widmark. "The problem now is that it could become a huge ground eater - feeding on any kind of debris on the ground." Weaker winds and lower temperatures over the weekend allowed firefighters to fully contain four other fires around the state. Altogether, firefighters were still working to contain wildfires scorching more than 105,034 acres across Oregon. Gov. John Kitzhaber took an aerial tour of the Monument fire Sunday afternoon, after visiting southern Oregon where firefighters were working toward full containment of the long burning, 6,000-acre fire southwest of Ashland. The Quartz fire was 75 percent contained Monday morning; full containment was expected by Tuesday evening, Widmark said. Five minor injuries were reported by Monday morning, he said. No further details were available. Another blaze in the northeast, the 9,230-acre near Ukiah, was 85 percent contained, but several homes and outbuildings were still threatened. Crews were focusing on building fire lines around the town, allowing residents to return safely. Firefighters were also concerned about the 50,000-acre , about 50 miles southeast of Burns, where a blowout Saturday consumed more than 2,000 acres in less than an hour. The fire was 70 percent contained Monday morning. Winds from a dry cold front radically increased the fire's spread, and tough terrain hampered firefighting, Widmark said. The 2,500-acre fire burning 25 miles east of Detroit was 30 percent contained. But Widmark said minimal fire spread was expected Sunday and crews should complete a line along the north edge by evening. Four minor injuries had been reported by Monday, Widmark said. The fire east of Dale, was burning on 595 acres, with 30 percent containment. Steep terrain and poor access kept firefighters from making a direct attack. The 40-acre fire at Crater Lake National Park was 45 percent contained. Several other fires were fully contained: the 688-acre 35 miles northeast of Burns; the , Oregon's largest blaze, at 127,552 acres; the fire, northeast of Baker City, contained at 8,884 acres; the fire, 25 miles southwest of Bend, contained at 720 acres. Email your... Technical questions & comments to: WebMaster Daily Tidings editorial comments & questions to: Editor Visit our other Oregon Newspapers... | Albany Democrat-Herald | Ashland Daily Tidings | Corvallis Gazette-Times | | Lebanon Express | Newport News-Times | Springfield News | Cottage Grove Sentinel | Ashland Daily Tidings 1661 Siskiyou Blvd. Ashland, OR 97520 Telephone 541-482-3456 © Copyright 2001 Lee Northwest Publishing