Wind Driven blaze near The Dalles Landfill sparks evacuations at 5:30 p.m.

Evacuation Map provided by permitermap.com

Fire Boss Aircraft Join Fight as Blaze Threatens Homes Near Hwy 197

The Dalles, Ore., Aug. 7, 2025 — Fast-moving flames and gusty winds triggered immediate evacuations in rural Wasco County on Wednesday evening, as a wildfire broke out near Eightmile Road and quickly prompted Level 3 “GO NOW” evacuation orders for residents west of Steele Road to Highway 197 and Five Mile Road.

Photo of the fire courtesy Columbia Gorge Wildland & Fire Information Page, Nicole Moody and Tiffany Hardin. The Photo is looking east from The Port of The Dalles.

According to updates from the Columbia Gorge Wildland & Fire Information Page, the fire was reported just before 5:30 p.m. and escalated rapidly, driven by 20-30 mph wind gusts on the ridgelines. Within the hour, evacuation zones were expanded and fire crews from across the region were dispatched.

By 6:25 p.m., three Fire Boss aircraft had launched from Dallesport to begin water scooping operations, joining multiple Oregon Department of Forestry (ODF) engines, local fire departments, and Wasco County Sheriff's deputies on the ground.

Four engines and a dozer were reported to be responding to the blaze.

Fire location site nearest the time of the discovery of the fire according the Columbia Gorge Wildland & Information Page.

Level 2 “GET SET” evacuation alerts were issued for a large swath from the south of Five Mile Road at its intersection with Highway 197, continuing south to Eightmile Road and Japanese Hollow. Another Level 2 zone was established from the Old Dufur Highway/Hwy 197 intersection eastward to Eightmile Road and Emerson Loop Road.

As of 6 p.m., the fire’s size was still unconfirmed, but fire behavior was described as aggressive, with flames being blown up ridges and spot fires igniting on Eightmile Road due to airborne embers.

Hwy 197 was closed in both directions at Auction Yard and Five Mile Road as Oregon State Police and sheriff's deputies worked to keep traffic clear for emergency responders. Eightmile Road was also shut down, and residents in threatened areas were urged to check the live evacuation map and road closures at tripcheck.com.

The fire was elevated to a second alarm around 5:18 p.m., with Dufur Fire deploying Type 3 and Type 6 engines and a tender to assist.

Red marker shows approximate location of fire when first reported near The Dalles Landfill.

“This fire is moving fast, and the winds on the ridges are working against us,” noted one update. Crews were seen actively defending against spot fires and directing resources toward Petersburg as the fire appeared to shift in that direction.

Humidity in the area was reported at 36% with temperatures in the low 70s, but sustained winds of 16 mph and gusts nearing 30 mph on the ridges are hampering containment efforts.

Wasco County residents are advised to monitor evacuation alerts and be prepared to leave if conditions worsen.