Ferocious Wildfire Forces Mass Evacuation in Oregon

EXTREME WEATHER & CLIMATIC HAZARDS
RISING TEMPERATURES
DROUGHT
DESTRUCTIVE WILDFIRES
STATE OF EMERGENCY
MAIN SCENARIOS 900, 800,797, 777, 555, 444, 311, 111, 101, 100, 070, 03, 02
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Hundreds of Oregon homes evacuated, hundreds more on standby; shuts highway 

A fast moving wildfire, dubbed Rowena Fire, has exploded to more than 2,000 acres in the Columbia River Gorge in northern Oregon, forcing hundreds of homes to evacuate, while more than 600 additional residences are put on standby for possible evacuation.

The blaze has spread from the community of Rowena to outskirts of the city of The Dalles, threating to shut down additional sections of  U.S. Highway 30.

Oregon Governor Kitzhaber invoked the Emergency Conflagration Act at 1:05 a.m. on Wednesday, August 6 in response to the fire, which was threatening 70 homes in the Gorge.

The fire started Tuesday evening six miles west of The Dalles and has since grown 10 folds.

“Today I’m outside of Ashland seeing firsthand the devastation caused by fires in the Beaver Complex. This new blaze in the Columbia River Gorge is equally concerning, and already it threatens Oregonians’ homes and puts lives at risk,” said Kitzhaber.

More than a dozen wildfires are burning across at least 100,000 acres in Oregon, forcing public lands to close. A major power transmission line to Idaho lies in the path of the fires, officials said.

Dozens of wildfires are also plaguing the US West Coast, including the drought-stricken state of California, and Washington.

Washington Wildfires

Meanwhile, a wildfire burning close to a city in central Washington state expanded rapidly over the past day, threatening more homes and structures.

The Snag Canyon Fire, burning outside the city of Ellensburg [population: ~ 20,000,] had grown to about 8,500 acres on Thursday, up from 3,500 on Tuesday, destroying at least 16 structures and forcing mandatory evacuation orders for  250 homes.

• Washington Hansel Fire (FM-5072)- Fire Management Assistance Declaration declared on August 6, 2014
• Washington Snag Canyon Fire (FM-5071)- Fire Management Assistance Declaration declared on August 3, 2014

Related Links

• States of Emergency Continue in California, Oregon, Washington August 5, 2014

States of Emergency Continue in California, Oregon, Washington

EXTREME WEATHER & CLIMATIC EVENTS
RISING TEMPERATURES
EXCEPTIONAL DROUGHT
CROP DISASTERS
DESTRUCTIVE WILDFIRES
MULTIPLE STATES OF EMERGENCY
MAIN SCENARIOS 900, 800, 555, 444, 123, 111, 101, 100, 033, 011, 08, 04, 03, 02
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Fierce Wildfire Destroys Homes in Washington

The so-called Snag Canyon Fire in Ellensburg has consumed at least 1,930 acres, destroying 16 structures, as of posting.

The Snag Canyon fire was sparked by lightning on Saturday, August 2. It is currently estimated at 1,930 acres, with about 10 percent contained, said Inciweb.

Evacuation orders were in effect for about 200 homes on Monday.

WA State Emergency Operations Center (EOC) Status: 

Phase III: The State EOC activated to Phase III in support of multiple fire mobilizations throughout Washington State.

Federal emergency aid has been made available to the State of Washington to supplement state and local response efforts in the area affected by wildfires beginning on July 9, 2014, and continuing.

• Washington Snag Canyon Fire (FM-5071)

California

The California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services has activated the State Operations Center (SOC) in support of the Inland Regional Operations Center (REOC) and local regions due to fires currently burning throughout Northern California.

On Saturday, August, 2, 2014, Governor Edmund G. Brown, Jr., declared a state of emergency in 11 California counties: Madera, Modoc, Butte, Siskiyou, Mendocino, Shasta, Amador, El Dorado, Humboldt, Lassen, and Mariposa.

“Fires like the Day and Bald Fires can put a strain on resources, particularly at a time when dry conditions due to the drought, above normal temperatures and winds have increased the wildfire threat significantly,” said a state official.

Fire Management Assistance Declarations have been declared on August 2 – 3, 2014 for the following wildfires:

• California Day Fire (FM-5070)
• California Bald Fire (FM-5069)
• California Oregon Gulch Fire (FM-5068)
• California Eiler Fire  (FM-5067)

Oregon – Fire Management Assistance Declaration has been declared on August 1, 2014

• Oregon Oregon Gulch Fire