Wasco Sheriff asks for extreme caution in midst of fires
This morning’s fire map. For up-to-date information on fires and evacuations check out our weather, fire and wind information next to our weather bar on our home page.
By Tom Peterson
With firefighters being overwhelmed throughout the Northwest and heavy winds and low humidity expected to continue, Wasco County Sheriff Lane Magill asked local residents to use extreme caution.
We cannot afford any more fires, he said.
Firefighters were called to two smaller blazes on Tuesday, Sept. 8th, in the county - one on State Road and another near Mosier.
Magill estimated both blazes were under 5 acres each.
“With all these red flags, people need to be super, super careful,” he said. “The east wind is really drying things out and the humidity is going to be low...”
Magill’s comments come as Forrest Managers are juggling fire crews and deciding on whether to close major swaths of land, such as in the Mount Hood National Forrest. Fires have been also reported within 10 miles of Carson in Washington.
Continuous and strong winds expanded new and existing large fire perimeters threatening several communities west of the Cascades. Visibility improved east of the Cascades due to the frontal passage, according to the Northwest Interagency Coordination Center (NWCC), which coordinates all state and federal agencies involved in wildland fire management and suppression in the region.
Easterly winds filled the Willamette and Umpqua valleys with smoke decreasing visibility west of the Cascades. The Cold Springs, Pearl Hill, Lionshead and Beachie Creek fires experienced large growth. According to fire maps, the Lionshead and Beachie Creek fires have grown together. Major evacuations of towns along the Santiam Canyon On Highway 22 such as Mill City and Idanha were evacuated on Tuesday.
Hot and dry conditions persisted during the past 24 hours, according to NWCC. Overnight humidities recovered well in northeast Washington while on the east side of the Cascades overnight humidities were single digits in some areas. Initial attack activity was heavy. Multiple teams were being assigned to new incidents.
New Fires and Acres: 37 fires for 51,036 acres
* Oregon: 13 fires for 44,773 acres
* Washington: 24 fires for 6,263 acres
Large Fire Summary
* New large incidents: 9
* Reported incidents: 27
* (OR: 15 WA: 12) 515,135 acres growth on existing incidents.
For up-to-date information on fires and evacuations check out our weather, fire and wind information next to our weather bar on our home page.
