Out-of-control Oregon wildfire forces evacuations and highway closures as gusty winds challenge firefighters kra34 cc

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 3,500 acres since it ignited on Wednesday afternoon in Wasco County, according to the Oregon State Fire Marshal. It’s 0% contained as of Thursday afternoon.

The blaze has destroyed some structures, according to Stephanie Krell, a spokesperson for Wasco County. The exact number of homes impacted would not be known for at least a day, Krell said, though the Northwest Interagency Coordination Center had preliminarily reported 20 residences were destroyed. The fire was caused by human activity and is under investigation.

More than 800 homes were under evacuation orders in part of northern Wasco County Thursday night, Krell said. An additional 3,000 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, a portion of US-30 remained closed in both directions Thursday evening. 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.