Banks Fire District Engine 16 heads toward the Powerline Fire on Tuesday, September 8. Photo: Chas Hundley Here is this morning’s fire update. We’ll continue daily fire updates through Friday, and hopefully be able to resume a more regular publishing schedule if fire activity calms down enough after that. Wildfires[Read More…]
Latest News
Oregon Department of Forestry extends public forest shutdown through Wednesday
A sign on Highway 6 noting “Extreme” fire danger on Wednesday, September 9, 2020. Photo: Chas Hundley The Oregon Department of Forestry plans to keep all forests under their purview closed to public entry and use through at least Wednesday, September 16. The earliest they could open is Thursday, September[Read More…]
In September, 124 South Fork Forest Camp inmates deployed to wildfires
South Fork Forest Camp entrance in November 2017. Photo: Chas Hundley At least 124 inmates from the South Fork Forest Camp, a joint Oregon Department of Corrections and Department of Forestry facility, have been deployed to fight fires this month, according to a spokesperson for the DOC. The men at[Read More…]
Monday, September 14 fire update
Smoke hovers above Gales Peak on Wednesday, September 9, 2020. Photo: Chas Hundley Here are the most recent updates from official sources regarding local Washington County and Clackamas County fires. Check out the State of Oregon Fires and Hotspots Dashboard for maps, evacuation levels, and more information on fires locally[Read More…]
Powerline Fire is ‘well secured’; all evacuations to lift at 7 p.m.
Smoke from the Powerline Fire rises near Hagg Lake on Tuesday, September 8. Photo: Chas Hundley The final update, barring an unforeseen change in conditions, from the Oregon Department of Forestry on the 126 acre Powerline Fire near Cherry Grove was issued Sunday afternoon. According to the update, “the Powerline[Read More…]
State Fire Marshal Jim Walker resigns, Mariana Ruiz-Temple appointed to post
Undated Oregon State Fire Marshal Jim Walker. Photo: OSP Oregon is in the midst of one of, if not the, worst fire seasons experienced in modern Oregon history. Today, without explanation, the state’s top fire official — Oregon State Fire Marshal Jim Walker — was placed on paid administrative leave[Read More…]
Oregon disaster declaration at White House and other fire updates
Burned trees at the Powerline Fire. photo: FGF&R The state of Oregon was declared to be in an emergency on Thursday by the White House, a move that allows additional federal resources and funding to be deployed as the state grapples with unprecedented wildfires largely west of the Cascades. The[Read More…]
Clackamas Community College wrestling team evacuates to Banks
Schlegel Hall in Banks. File Photo: Chas Hundley UPDATE Sept 10, 8:20 p.m.: In a phone call to the Banks Post, Josh Rhoden, Head Coach of the Clackamas Community College wrestling team said his team had safely made it out of Clackamas County. He said that around 16 left the[Read More…]
Region closed to logging, other industrial forest use
A “Super Scooper” plane fights the Powerline Fire near Cherry Grove. Photo taken from ODF video Beginning Friday, September 11 at 1 a.m., logging and other industrial forest activities in the entirety of the Northwest Oregon Forest Protective Association region will be closed due to wildfire danger and limited firefighting[Read More…]
September 10 Morning Update
Groner K-8 school in Scholls on Wednesday, September 9. Photo: Brad Burke The sky is a sickly yellow-orange this morning from the sunlight filtering through air choked with smoke and ash as wildfires continue across the western United States and in Oregon. Here are quick updates on the situation in[Read More…]