UPDATE: 49 homes lost in Rowena Fire
By Tom Peterson
The Dalles, Ore., June 13, 2025, Noon — Officials have identified 49 homes that were destroyed by the Rowena Fire, according to a report on the Wasco County Sheriff’s Office.
“We are saddened to report that we have identified 49 homes that were destroyed due to the fire during damage assessments. This not a comprehensive list of damaged or destroyed homes and expect that number to grow,” said the post on Facebook.
“Property owners will be contacted in the near future and we are working on establishing a Multi-Agency Resource Center (MARC) for our community members to assist with the recovery and rebuilding effort. Once we have established a location and hours, more information will be provided.
There are no known fatalities at this time.
We are still performing assessments and will continue to update as things progress. There are an unknown number of damaged or destroyed outbuildings at this time.”
Heavy winds continue to hamper firefighting efforts west of The Dalles as more than 450 personnel are working to contain and extinguish the blaze that has burned multiple homes.
GoFundMe campaigns continue to pour in as the affect of the quick-moving blaze become more and more clear since the fire’s start on Wednesday, June 11. CCCNews’ is keeping a list of the campaigns and updating it daily. Click here.
Image taken from Rowena Fire 2025 Facebook Page
The National Weather Service is predicting sustained winds of 16 to 21 miles per hour today and gusts up to 29. Heavy winds can fan embers and reignite fires as well as spread it by sending burning material through the air into areas outside the fires perimeter.
Fire officials are estimating the burn is at 3,800 acres after using infrared technology to scan the fire from a plane in the last 24 hours.
“Goals for today are centered around holding the fire in its current footprint, limiting growth and protecting homes and natural resources,” according to the latest release from the Rowena Fire 2025 Facebook page. “Aircraft will continue to remain a critical asset on the fire, and more have been ordered. With more resources arriving at the incident, firefighters will be able to deploy more direct tactics, working at the fire’s edge to create a control line and hold the fire. As this work progresses, containment will increase.”
There are more than 200 firefighters in hand crews working fire lines and extinguishing hotspots. 53 Engines, 12 water tenders, 1 bulldozer and 14 helicopters are working the blaze, according to information released this morning.
Image taken from Rowena Fire 2025 Facebook Page
“Structural resources will continue to work around homes in Rowena near the fire’s perimeter, mopping up areas that have seen fire. Firefighters will also be removing hazardous trees to increase safety in the area while work is ongoing and ahead of any residents returning,” the statement said.
“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,” said Craig Pettinger with the Oregon Department of Forestry. “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.”
Temperatures will be slightly cooler today in the 70s, and relative humidity will be higher, predicted to reach the mid-30s, meaning more moisture will be in the air. These conditions may help to naturally lower the intensity of the fire behavior, however winds will remain steady and create smoky conditions.
A community meeting will be held tonight, Friday, June 13, at 7 p.m. at The Dalles High School auditorium, 220 E 10th St. The Dalles, to provide a current fire update to the public. A recording of the meeting will be later posted on YouTube and Facebook for those who can’t attend in person.
Evacuation levels. Click on the image to enlarge it.
Level 1, 2 and 3 evacuations remain in effect under the Wasco County Sheriff’s Office’s direction. You can search for specific addresses here: https://perimetermap.com/wascocounty-or
The Red Cross has opened a shelter at The Dalles Middle School at 1100 East 12th Street. Livestock and horses can be taken to the Wasco County Fairgrounds at 81849 Fairgrounds Road.
I-84 remains open, however firefighters are continuing to work near the roadway; be aware of crews when driving through the area.
Closures: Due to the fires, Mayer State Park is closed to the public. More information is available here: https://stateparks.oregon.gov/index.cfm?do=park.profile...
Temporary Flight Restriction (TFR): A “TFR” is in place at an altitude from the surface up to and including 6500 feet, daily (24 hours) until further notice. Complete information is available at https://tfr.faa.gov/tfr3/?page=detail_5_2600. Flying a drone near or around a wildfire compromises the safety of pilots and interferes with firefighting efforts.
