Latest news with #EmergencyConflagrationAct
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Climate
- Yahoo
Oregon wildfire updates: Cram Fire grows to 77,158 acres in central Oregon
(This story has been updated to include additional information) The Cram Fire in Wasco and Jefferson counties reached 77,158 acres as of July 17, remaining the state's largest blaze and growing nearly 13,000 acres since July 16. Widespread level 1, 2 and 3 evacuations for Wasco and Jefferson counties are still in place. An evacuation map for Jefferson County can be found at: An evacuation map for Wasco County can be found at: A Red Cross evacuation shelter is available at Jefferson County Middle School, 1180 SE. Kemper Way in Madras. Large animals can go to the Jefferson County Fairgrounds until July 18. Air quality in Madras has increased to moderate as of July 17, unhealthy for sensitive groups in Prineville and moderate in the Bend and Redmond area. Fire activity the night of July 16 was less than expected due to decreased winds. The fire still continues to challenge personnel on the ground. With a red flag warning for high winds and low humidity through July 18, firefighters focused on strengthening containment lines the night of July 16 and point protection around structures. At least 573 personnel were assigned to the fire. Gov. Tina Kotek invoked the Emergency Conflagration Act for the Cram Fire on July 14, allowing the Oregon State Fire Marshal to send teams to conduct structure protection for homes in the area. It was the sixth time Kotek has invoked the act so far this fire season. More: Kotek declares state of emergency in Oregon due to imminent threat of wildfire Highway 97 is now open. Information about road closures can be found on Trip Check. Mariah Johnston is an outdoors journalism intern at the Statesman Journal. Reach her at mjohnston@ This article originally appeared on Salem Statesman Journal: Oregon wildfires: Cram Fire grows to 77,158 acres in central Oregon
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Climate
- Yahoo
Cram Fire explodes to 28,000 acres, closes Highway 97 in central Oregon
For the latest updates on the Cram Fire, click here. The Cram Fire exploded to 28,000 acres on July 15, shut down Highway 97 north of Madras and has degraded air quality in central Oregon. The fire, ignited July 13, was fueled by hot temperatures and gusty winds and grew rapidly to become the state's largest blaze. The fire brought widespread level 1, 2 and 3 evacuations to Wasco and Jefferson counties, near the small towns of Ashwood and Antelope. A full evacuation map can be found at Highway 97 is closed between mileposts 70 and 76 near Antelope and could stay that way for an extended period, fire officials said. Travelers should check before navigating the area. Air quality dropped to unhealthy levels in Madras by the afternoon of July 15 and moderate in the Bend area. As light east winds arrive in Oregon and temperatures heat up, smoke could spread west into the Cascade Range on July 16. Shelter opened for evacuees of Cram Fire in central Oregon A shelter has been opened at Madras Middle School, and a Red Cross team is set up at the Jefferson County Middle School as an evacuation site, according to the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office. The Jefferson County Fairgrounds said it would hold evacuees' large animals until July 18. Gov. Tina Kotek invoked the Emergency Conflagration Act for the Cram Fire on July 14, allowing the Oregon State Fire Marshal to send teams to conduct structure protection for homes in the area. It was the sixth time Kotek has invoked the act so far this fire season. 'The fire jumped Trout Creek and ran up Ranger Butte and is now moving to the southeast,' fire teams wrote the morning of July 15. 'The fire is burning in steep and rugged country with few roads and challenging access. Today's priorities will be structure protection and scouting for opportunities to construct containment lines." Fire crews are using airplanes and helicopters to cool hot spots and make tactical retardant drops. 'Temperatures are expected to be lower today, but conditions remain dry and receptive to ignition,' crews wrote. Zach Urness has been an outdoors reporter in Oregon for 18 years and is host of the Explore Oregon Podcast. He can be reached at zurness@ or (503) 399-6801. Find him on X at @ZachsORoutdoors and BlueSky at This article originally appeared on Salem Statesman Journal: Oregon wildfires: Cram Fire closes Highway 97 in central Oregon Solve the daily Crossword
The Guardian
12-06-2025
- Climate
- The Guardian
Oregon wildfire destroys homes and raises fears for looming fire season
A growing wildfire in Oregon has destroyed multiple homes and prompted evacuation orders in the Columbia River Gorge area, in what officials are calling an early warning of the fire season ahead. The so-called Rowena fire had grown on Thursday to 3,500 acres and remained 0% contained, prompting officials to issue evacuation orders for hundreds of homes and to temporarily close a section of an interstate highway. The state's governor, Tina Kotek, invoked the Emergency Conflagration Act for the Rowena Fire, allowing the state fire marshal agency to mobilize resources, it said in a statement. The agency said it was mobilizing an incident management team and six structural taskforces, with three responding on Wednesday night and the other three arriving early on Thursday. The fire has already destroyed about 20 homes, according to local news reports, and is threatening nearly 2,200 structures. The wildfire comes as the US west readiest for what could be a brutal fire season exacerbated by a dry winter and warming temperatures. Parts of Oregon are already dealing with record-breaking early season heat. Acres burned US wildfires are measured in terms of acres. While the size of a wildfire doesn't necessarily correlate to its destructive impact, acreage provides a way to understand a fire's footprint and how quickly it has grown. There are 2.47 acres in a hectare, and 640 acres in a square mile, but this can be hard to visualise. Here are some easy comparisons: one acre equates to roughly the size of an American football field. London's Heathrow airport is about 3,000 acres. Manhattan covers roughly 14,600 acres, while Chicago is roughly 150,000 acres, and Los Angeles is roughly 320,000 acres. Megafire A megafire is defined by the National Interagency Fire Center as a wildfire that has burned more than 100,000 acres (40,000 hectares). Containment level A wildfire's containment level indicates how much progress firefighters have made in controlling the fire. Containment is achieved by creating perimeters the fire can't move across. This is done through methods such as putting fire retardants on the ground, digging trenches, or removing brush and other flammable fuels. Containment is measured in terms of the percentage of the fire that has been surrounded by these control lines. A wildfire with a low containment level, such as 0% or 5%, is essentially burning out of control. A fire with a high level of containment, such as 90%, isn't necessarily extinguished but rather has a large protective perimeter and a rate of growth that is under control. Evacuation orders and warnings Evacuation warnings and orders are issued by officials when a wildfire is causing imminent danger to people's life and property. According to the California office of emergency services, an evacuation warning means that it's a good idea to leave an area or get ready to leave soon. An evacuation order means that you should leave the area immediately. Red flag warning A red flag warning is a type of forecast issued by the National Weather Service that indicates when weather conditions are likely to spark or spread wildfires. These conditions typically include dryness, low humidity, high winds and heat. Prescribed burn A prescribed burn, or a controlled burn, is a fire that is intentionally set under carefully managed conditions in order to improve the health of a landscape. Prescribed burns are carried out by trained experts such as members of the US Forest Service and Indigenous fire practitioners. Prescribed burns help remove flammable vegetation and reduce the risk of larger, more catastrophic blazes, among other benefits. Prescribed burning was once a common tool among Native American tribes who used 'good fire' to improve the land, but was limited for much of the last century by a US government approach based on fire suppression. In recent years, US land managers have returned to embracing the benefits of prescribed burns, and now conduct thousands across the country every year. 'This early season conflagration should come as a reminder to Oregonians to be ready for wildfire,' said Mariana Ruiz-Temple, the state fire marshal. The Oregon department of transportation said on Wednesday Interstate 84 was closed between Hood River and The Dalles, though the highway was reportedly reopened by Thursday. Hood River, a popular tourist destination about 55 miles (90km) east of Portland, is home to about 8,000 people, and more than 15,000 people live in The Dalles farther east. Residents of more than 700 homes were ordered to evacuate in an area stretching north-west of The Dalles along I-84 and farther inland, according to the Wasco county sheriff's office. Residents of more than 1,300 homes were told to prepare to leave, including in part of the town's northern end. A middle school in The Dalles was set up as a temporary shelter, while the county fairgrounds opened as a shelter for livestock and horses, the sheriff's office said. Photos shared by the transportation department showed flames burning alongside and in the median of I-84 as wind gusts fanned the smoke. A water helicopter and a plane dropping fire retardant helped fight the fire, which broke out on Wednesday.
Nahar Net
12-06-2025
- Climate
- Nahar Net
Oregon wildfire prompts evacuations and closes interstate in Columbia River Gorge
by Naharnet Newsdesk 12 June 2025, 16:51 A wildfire in Oregon prompted officials to issue evacuation orders for hundreds of homes and to close nearly 20 miles (32 kilometers) of an interstate in the Columbia River Gorge on Wednesday. Gov. Tina Kotek invoked the state's Emergency Conflagration Act for the Rowena Fire, allowing the state fire marshal agency to mobilize resources, it said in a statement. The agency said it was mobilizing an incident management team and six structural task forces, with three responding Wednesday night and the other three arriving early Thursday. "This early season conflagration should come as a reminder to Oregonians to be ready for wildfire," State Fire Marshal Mariana Ruiz-Temple said. The Oregon Department of Transportation said Interstate 84 was closed between Hood River and The Dalles. Hood River, a popular tourist destination about 55 miles (90 kilometers) east of Portland, is home to some 8,000 people, and more than 15,000 people live in The Dalles farther east. Residents of more than 700 homes were ordered to evacuate in an area stretching northwest of The Dalles along I-84 and farther inland, according to the Wasco County Sheriff's Office. Residents of more than 1,300 homes were told to prepare to leave, including in part of the town's northern end. A middle school in The Dalles was set up as a temporary shelter, while the county fairgrounds opened as a shelter for livestock and horses, the sheriff's office said. Photos shared by the transportation department showed flames burning alongside and in the median of I-84 as wind gusts fanned the smoke. A water helicopter and a plane dropping fire retardant helped fight the fire, which broke out Wednesday. Department spokesperson David House said in an email that the interstate will be closed indefinitely "due not only to the wildfires but also due to the extreme danger of driving in smoke." Washington state's transportation department said a separate brush fire resulted in the closure of 8 miles (13 kilometers) of State Route 14, which also runs along the Columbia River. Authorities urged people traveling in the area to use alternate routes.
Yahoo
12-06-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
Rowena Fire continues burning overnight, I-84 reopens
PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — The Rowena Fire, between Mosier and The Dalles in Wasco County, continued burning strongly overnight, although Interstate 84 has been reopened in both directions. Burning 2,500 acres and currently 0% contained, the fire was first reported just after 1:30 Wednesday, leading to evacuations in the surrounding area. Level 3 'Go Now' evacuations: Rowena Ferry Road east to River Road. Seven Mile Hill Road to Mountain View Drive; south to Chenowith Creek and Browns Creek roads, east to West Seventh Street. Level 2 'Be Set' evacuations: Evacuation Snipes Street, West to Chenoweth Loop Road, Chenowith Creek Road, to Browns Creek Road. Level 1 'Be Ready' evacuations: Snipes St, east to River Rd, south to Bargeway Rd., west to I-84; From the intersection of Seven Mile Hill Rd, east to Browns Creek Rd, East to Snipes St. to Cherry Heights Rd, south to Browns Creek Rd, Port area of The Dalles. The fire is threatening hundreds of homes in the area, and authorities said that 20 residences have already been destroyed. The fire even led Oregon Governor Tina Kotek to invoke the Emergency Conflagration Act, calling in six state fire teams to back up local crews. 'It's an unfortunate reality that we have to live with, and they seem to be getting more and more frequent, a little bit earlier and quite often more intense,' said John Gass, a retired firefighter. The Red Cross has opened a shelter at The Dalles Middle School and the Wasco County Fairgrounds in Tygh Valley is allowing in livestock and horses affected by the fire. The cause of the fire is still unknown. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
