Latest news with #WascoCounty
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Climate
- Yahoo
Oregon governor declares state of emergency over wildfire threat
A helicopter drops flame retardant on the Cram Fire burning in Jefferson and Wasco counties on July 15, 2025. (Photo by InciWeb/U.S. Forest Service) The threat of wildfires across the Northwest will escalate through the summer, extended forecasts show, due to 'extreme high temperatures.' In response, Gov. Tina Kotek is declaring a state of emergency across Oregon, meant to mobilize state and federal agencies and resources to prevent and respond to fires. Kotek made the declaration on Wednesday in an executive order, following six emergency declarations for individual fires just in the last two weeks. Most of the nearly 60 active fires in the state are in southern Oregon. The statewide emergency will remain in effect until the governor either determines that the threat has significantly receded, the fire season officially ends or until the end of the year. 'Oregon is already experiencing a devastating wildfire season that will have lasting consequences,' Kotek said in a news release. 'The summer is only getting hotter, drier and more dangerous — we have to be prepared for worsening conditions.' The declaration directs state agencies and the National Guard to collaborate on wildfire response and prevention by sharing personnel, equipment and resources. It also directs those agencies and Guard troops to meet requests coming from the state's primary fire agencies — the Oregon Department of Forestry and the State Fire Marshal — and local and tribal governments. It follows six Emergency Conflagration Act declarations for wildfires that have burned thousands of acres. Invoking the act similarly directs state agencies to help local fire departments with staff and with state financial resources. Kotek in her news release also advised Oregonians to sign up for the statewide emergency alert system OR-Alert, to have an evacuation plan and to have an emergency 'go kit' ready. The state's fire dashboard lists 58 active wildfires that have so far burned more than 54,500 acres. Many of the fires are mostly contained. Nearly half of the fires ignited due to natural causes, while the cause is still undetermined for most of the others. Ten fires so far have been determined to be human caused. Most of the fires are in southern Oregon, and all but one of the fires was first discovered within the last two weeks. Nearly half occurred or are burning in Jackson County, six in Josephine County, five in Jefferson County and four in Klamath County. The Department of Environmental Quality on Wednesday advised residents in Klamath and Jefferson counties to stay indoors and avoid being outside doing vigorous physical activity due to smoke from the Hagelstein and Elk fires. No fatalities have been recorded this fire season, but six people have been injured. At least five structures have been recorded damaged or destroyed and only in the Elk Fire. More than 2,200 Oregonians at nearly 900 addresses are currently in an evacuation zone, according to the state fire dashboard. More than half are at the Level 1 'Be Ready' stage. More than 800 are in the Level 2 'Be Set' stage, meaning they should be ready to evacuate at a moment's notice. More than 200 are at the Level 3 'Go Now' stage, meaning they are in extreme danger and should be evacuating or already evacuated. Kotek in her news release also encouraged Oregonians who believe they've been charged excessive prices or fees for essential goods and services during a wildfire emergency to report those claims to the Oregon Department of Justice Consumer Protection Services here. The Oregon Capital Chronicle is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Oregon Capital Chronicle maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Julia Shumway for questions: info@
New York Times
4 days ago
- Climate
- New York Times
In Shifting Winds, Central Oregon Wildfire Grows to Almost 30,000 Acres
Gusty, shifting winds and high temperatures have enabled a wildfire in Central Oregon to spread rapidly, reaching nearly 30,000 acres and prompting evacuations in ranches and communities in two counties, the authorities said on Tuesday. The Cram fire was first reported on Sunday, burning in vegetation of grass, brush and juniper along U.S. Route 97, a north-south highway, near the sparsely populated area of Willowdale in Jefferson County. By Monday afternoon, the fast-moving flames covered 4,500 acres, prompting evacuations in the county and in adjacent Wasco County, according to the Oregon State Fire Marshal agency. The state fire marshal, Mariana Ruiz-Temple, called the weather conditions 'extremely challenging' in a statement. 'The wind was all day 25 miles per hour, and the terrain is a lot of hills, ridges and valleys, which makes it worse,' Gert Zoutendijk, a spokesman for the fire marshal, said in an interview. 'The wind shifted, and basically it took the fire and ran,' he said. By early Tuesday, the fire had grown to about 28,600 acres, according to Central Oregon Fire Info, an interagency dispatch service. Firefighters and other crews, including from the Bureau of Land Management and Oregon Department of Forestry, installed containment lines and used air support from tankers and helicopters to cool hot spots, the service said. But despite those efforts, shifting winds propelled the fire over bulldozer lines that had been cut into the ground to prevent the spread of flames, Mr. Zoutendijk said. Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
Associated Press
24-06-2025
- General
- Associated Press
Union Pacific Sued Over Train Sparks that Allegedly Ignited Rowena Fire
Plaintiffs Seek Justice for Destruction of Property, Evacuations, and Environmental Damage in Oregon Wildfire THE DALLES, OR / ACCESS Newswire / June 24, 2025 / On Monday, June 23, a lawsuit was filed on behalf of two residents impacted by the June 11, 2025, Rowena Fire, a devastating wildfire that broke out in Wasco County, Oregon and rapidly spread over 3,600 acres. The lawsuit alleges that Union Pacific was negligent, including by failing to comply with federal railroad safety and inspection laws, and caused the Rowena Fire after one of its trains in the Columbia River Gorge shot sparks into dry brush near the tracks. The fire destroyed more than 56 homes, 91 commercial properties, and many structures, displacing over 1,500 residents, including the plaintiffs. The fire also raised serious environmental and public health concerns, with smoke, debris, and other hazardous materials polluting the air and soil. The plaintiffs seek justice for the destruction of their property, evacuation expenses, and the emotional and physical toll caused by the fire. 'This appears to be yet another tragic example of preventable wildfire destruction linked to railroad operations,' said lead attorney Gerald Singleton of Singleton Schreiber. 'Families have lost their homes, livelihoods, and sense of security all because of corporate irresponsibility. We are determined to ensure the Wasco County community receives the justice it deserves.' The lawsuit accuses Union Pacific of failing to properly inspect and maintain its train, manage vegetation around its tracks, and implement appropriate fire prevention measures, all of which contributed to the fire's ignition and spread. Union Pacific's prior knowledge of wildfire risks in the area and its failure to act are at the center of the lawsuit. The Rowena Fire bears troubling similarities to the Tunnel 5 Fire in 2023, just across the Columbia River Gorge in Skamania County, Washington. That blaze, which burned several hundred acres, was officially attributed by the Washington Department of Natural Resources to sparks from a BNSF Railway train. Singleton Schreiber is also leading litigation on behalf of victims of the Tunnel 5 Fire. The plaintiffs are seeking damages for the loss and destruction of their property, including compensation for evacuation expenses and lost wages, and will be seeking all available relief for the emotional distress caused by the traumatic experience of fleeing their home. Additionally, the lawsuit calls for compliance with railroad safety measures and accountability from rail operators in high-risk wildfire zones. Rowena Fire Town Hall Singleton Schreiber will host a community town hall for residents impacted by the Rowena Fire on Thursday, June 26 at 5:30 p.m. PST at the Dalles Civic Auditorium. Attorneys will be present to answer questions and provide legal information. In-person location: The event will also be available via Zoom for remote attendance. Zoom: is a client-centered law firm, specializing in mass torts/multi-district litigation, fire litigation, personal injury/wrongful death, civil rights, environmental law, insurance bad faith, and sex abuse/trafficking. Over the last decade, the firm has recovered more than $3 billion for clients who have been harmed and sought justice. The firm also has the largest fire litigation practice in the country, having represented over 30,000 victims of wildfire, most notably serving plaintiffs in litigation related to the 2025 Eaton Fire, 2023 Maui wildfires, the Colorado Marshall wildfire, the Washington Gray wildfire, the Tunnel 5 wildfire, several California wildfires, and others. SOURCE: Singleton Schreiber press release
Yahoo
14-06-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
Oregon wildfire destroys homes, forces evacuations as it grows to 3,800 acres
ROWENA, Ore. – The Rowena Fire in northern Oregon continues to burn Friday after scorching thousands of acres, destroying homes and other structures and forcing many residents to evacuate. Located about 75 miles east of Portland along the Columbia River, the Rowena Fire has burned more than 3,800 acres and remains 0% contained. Thousands have been evacuated from around the community of Rowena, where the wildfire began Wednesday it was being driven by 30-mph winds that helped the fire to quickly spread. Authorities have asked people to stay away from the evacuation zone designated as a Level 3, where officials warned of falling trees, slides and other hazardous conditions. No fatalities have been reported, according to the Wasco County Sheriff's Office. They noted that nearly 50 structures have been destroyed, as of Friday afternoon local time. The weather Friday may help lower the intensity of the fire, with the forecast calling for cooler temperatures in the 70s and higher levels of humidity in the mid-30s, according to officials. However, they warned that the winds will remain steady and create smoky conditions. "It's very early in fire season for us to be dealing with a large, fast-moving fire like the Rowena Fire, and deploying one of our incident management teams," Craig Pettinger, ODF Team 2 Deputy IC said. "It doesn't bode well for what's ahead of us knowing we already expect an active fire season. We have a lot of fire season ahead of us, and long seasons take a toll on our firefighters and communities across the state." When the fire began Wednesday, it was fueled by record-low moisture, along with gusty winds, according to the Oregon State Fire Marshal. The winds had also been shifting, leading officials to expand the evacuation zones early Thursday morning. How To Watch Fox Weather "This is only the beginning of what could be a difficult year," said Travis Medema, chief deputy with the OSFM. "This fire is occurring under unseasonable conditions and record-low fuel moistures – combined with unstable wind patterns, all of which signal a long and potentially dangerous fire season across the state." According to the U.S. Drought Monitor, about 34% of Oregon is experiencing abnormally dry conditions with nearly 18% of the state in a Level 1 article source: Oregon wildfire destroys homes, forces evacuations as it grows to 3,800 acres
CNN
12-06-2025
- Climate
- CNN
Out-of-control Oregon wildfire forces evacuations and highway closures as gusty winds challenge firefighters
A wildfire burning out of control in Oregon, near the state's border with Washington, has forced hundreds of evacuations and closures of major roadways as gusty winds threaten further spread and challenge firefighting crews. The Rowena Fire has burned 2,500 acres since it ignited on Wednesday afternoon in Wasco County, according to the Oregon State Fire Marshal. It's 0% contained as of early Thursday morning. More than 800 homes were under evacuation orders in part of northern Wasco County Wednesday night, CNN affiliate KATU reported. An additional 2,500 homes were under evacuation warnings or advisories urging residents to be ready to evacuate soon – including parts of The Dalles, the county's largest city and home to about 15,000 people. Interstate 84 was shut down in both directions for nearly 20 miles on Wednesday evening but reopened early Thursday morning, with travelers urged to use caution, according to the Oregon Department of Transportation. Nearby US-30 remained closed in both directions for about 10 miles Thursday morning. Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek invoked the Emergency Conflagration Act on Wednesday afternoon, allowing the state's fire marshal to mobilize resources to help combat the fire, according to a news release. 'This early season conflagration should come as a reminder to Oregonians to be ready for wildfire,' State Fire Marshal Mariana Ruiz-Temple said in the release. 'The predictions for this summer are extremely concerning. I am asking everyone to take that extra minute to mindful of the conditions and remember it takes a single spark to ignite a disaster.' Oregon and the Pacific Northwest baked under intense heat this week that dried out soil and left vegetation vulnerable to fire start and spread. The high temperature hit triple digits in The Dalles on both Sunday and Monday – Monday's high of 101 degrees Fahrenheit broke a record for the date that had stood since 1955. Windy conditions on Wednesday, with gusts of 30 to 40 mph, fanned the flames once the Rowena Fire sparked in the afternoon. Wind will pose a continued challenge for fire crews Thursday. Gusts of 10 to 15 mph in the morning will increase to 15 to 25 mph in the afternoon, and a few gusts past 30 mph are possible. Winds will remain gusty at times through Friday and no rain is expected into at least early next week. CNN's David Williams contributed to this report.
