A deadly 50,000-acre substation fire closes the highway. 97

ODOT said Wednesday night that the road would remain closed until & # 39; to Thursday morning at least and advised travelers to find alternative routes. Follow traffic updates on our TripCheck page

Here is an update on the fire published shortly before 10pm. On Wednesday, the Oregon State Fire Marshal:

The substation fire began southeast of The Dalles on Tuesday afternoon and moved over to it is today. Firefighters saw increased activity north and south of the fire. More than 50,000 acres in Sherman and Wasco counties are affected.

Level 3 evacuations ("Go") increased to include Moro; Level 2 evacuations ("Be Ready") have increased to include the community of Wasco, south of the Kent community and several miles east. More than 900 homes are located in Level 2 and Level 3 areas. A Red Cross Refuge is open at The Dalles High School at 1100 E. 12th Street in The Dalles.

Oregon Governor Kate Brown declares the state of emergency because of the constant threat of forest fires. The statement makes available resources from the state and from outside Oregon, if necessary.

On Wednesday afternoon, 178 firefighters from 32 agencies in Oregon focused on protecting structures in the firing line. Additional resources continue to arrive from all over the state.

A wide variety of flying tankers were deployed to combat substandard fire.

• Two "fire tanks" with a capacity of 750 gallons
• Two "Super Scooper" tankers, capable of "collecting" 12,000 gallons of water from the Columbia River to fall on the
• Two Type 2 Helicopters

A VLAT (Very Large Air Tanker), which can carry 12,000 gallons of water, was also deployed.

"I've seen neighbors help neighbors and firefighters make an extra effort to control this fire," said Public Information Officer Damon Simmons. "Although these fires are Terrible, they show the true spirit of local residents and Oregonians in general. "

Hwy 97 was closed intermittently Travelers are advised to check ODOT TripCheck for up-to-date information.

Sheriff's Office from Wasco County confirmed the death of a civilian as a result of fire exposure

. -597-8076. Additional information is available at www.faceook.com/ SubstationFire2018

A press release from the Wasco County Sheriff's Office said that MPs responded to a report from a tractor burned around 1:30 pm Wednesday.

MPs found the tractor and the Operator were found dead at a short distance, apparently killed by exposure to the fire. The name was not published pending the notification of the family

"It is believed that the tractor operator attempted to suppress the fire by creating a fire line," said a statement from press. of a major power outage of three counties apparently related to forest fires and its impact on major power transmission lines

Grass fire in East Portland destroyed a 115-kilovolt power line southeast of the city. Bonneville Power Administration. BPA spokesman Kevin Wingert said the teams had mostly restored the service.

The power transmitted by the line is sold by BPA to several utilities in the immediate vicinity and the number of affected customers was not clear. reported at 1 pm that the power outage had hit the counties of Wheeler, Gilliam and Sherman.

The fast-moving forest fire burned three structures, including a house, on Tuesday, leaping the Deschutes River and forcing extensive evacuations, officials said. It was one of the forest fires that caused problems in populated areas of the Northwest.

The OPB reported that the substation fire had jumped into the Deschutes River near Sayers Road. Approximately 75 homes were evacuated

Shortly before midnight, Governor Kate Brown and the Office of the Oregon State Fire Marshal invoked conflict law, allowing the appeal of equipment and firefighters of the state. Given the dry and windy conditions on the ground, I invoked an emergency statement to provide additional resources for firefighters and first responders, "said Brown

. The agencies traveled to Wasco County early Wednesday morning to help fight the fire.

As a result of the fire, the Lower Deschutes River was closed Wednesday at launches, take-out, camping and other access from Macks Canyon south to Sherars. Falls until further notice, authorities said. Recreational boaters can not enter at this time for Segment 3 or 4 river flows as Sherman County is evacuating the area.

A Level 3 evacuation notice (GO) was issued Tuesday night for areas with nearly two dozen homes and spread north when the fire spread, according to the Wasco County Sheriff's Office. ) Evacuation alert. The American Red Cross has set up a shelter for evacuees at The Dalles High School.

The Sky 8 video shows three structures completely engulfed. One of the buildings was a house, according to the Forest Service.

Here is Wednesday night's update on fires in south-central Oregon:

Fire caused by lightning in Lofton camp

Forest firefighters in downtown Lofton Oregon responded to a fire caused by lightning that resulted in the preventive evacuation of a popular campground today.

The secret valley fire was reported at 1:11 pm today about three miles south of Lofton Reservoir, 15 miles southeast of Bly, and is currently confined to 20 acres and 0%.

Eight fire engines, one crew hand, two bulldozers, two tanks The tank truck, two tankers, two helicopters and two support aircraft are used to fight the fire and preserve public safety.

The Fremont-Winema National Forest is the body responsible for the fire. The Lakeview District Land Management Office and the Oregon Forest Department in Klamath Lake District are involved in firefighting efforts.

Firefighters use a comprehensive fire-fighting strategy.

To protect public safety, the Oregon State Police and the Klamath County Sheriff's Office took evacuation orders for the Lofton Reservoir Campground as well as for the day-use area of ​​Heart Lake. and boat launch. Forest Service Road 3715 to the Recreation Area is closed.

Residents and visitors are welcome to know their surroundings and to monitor the traffic caused by the increasing number of firefighters and smoke in the area. This includes State Road 140 between Bly and Lakeview, as firefighters access the area.

In the last 24 hours, firefighters responded to two other fires confirmed by lightning. This brings the total to 60 fires in the last four days.

The crater of the Timber Six fire is reported at 80 acres and currently at 0 percent contained. The fire is located at the northeast corner of Crater Lake National Park, one mile south of State Highway 138.

Crater Lake National Park is the largest wildlife organization in Canada. fire supported by the Fremont-Winema National Forest. No staff or structure is in danger. It is advisable for travelers along the highway 138 to be aware of the presence of smoke in the area, which can affect visibility.

The Blue Creek fire is now reported at 40 acres due to improved mapping. It is located at the southwestern base of Spodue Mountain.

The Forestry Department of Oregon responded to the fire with the help of the Fremont-Winema National Forest. A heavy tanker, five SEATs, three helicopters, 10 fire engines, two water calls and two bulldozers were used in the response to the total suppression. The fire is now 50% contained.

Firefighters continue to hold the Holbrook fire at 41 acres and are confined to 50%. The light is about eight miles southeast of the Gerber Reservoir. Lakeview District Land Management Office is the lead agency. Firefighters, dispatchers, firefighters and support staff from all agencies over the past four days continue to play a major role in successfully responding to the many lightning fires throughout southern Central Ontario. # 39; Oregon.

Public safety and firefighters are the top priority for all employees of partner organizations. more than eight million acres of land administered by the Lakeview District Land Management Office; National Forest of Fremont-Winema; Oregon Forest Department, Klamath-Lake District; Sheldon Hart National Wildlife Refuge Complex of the US Department of Fisheries and Wildlife; and Crater Lake National Park. The area encompasses federal, state and private lands located in south central Oregon and northwestern Nevada.

Get the latest updates online at https://scofmp.blogspot.com/, on Facebook at facebook.com/SCOFMPFireInfo and on Twitter at twitter.com/SCOFMPFireInfo.