Banks Fire District Water Tender 14 responds to a field fire in Gales Creek on Tuesday, August 18, 2020. Photo: Chas Hundley Washington County’s burn ban, first announced on April 14, will lift at 8 a.m. Friday, April 23, according to Dave Nemeyer, a spokesperson for Forest Grove Fire &[Read More…]
Fire
Friday ‘Red Flag Warning’ issued for NW Oregon
The area under a red flag warning. Map courtesy of NWS. April’s unseasonably warm weather has prompted the National Weather Service to issue a red flag warning beginning Friday at 11 a.m. and ending at 10 p.m. the same day for much of northwest Oregon and beyond. A red flag[Read More…]
Burn ban enacted due to fire danger
Banks Fire District Engine 16 heads toward the Powerline Fire. Photo: Chas Hundley 11:20 a.m.: This story has been updated with a quote from the Banks Fire District. Beginning at 12 p.m. Wednesday, all burning — backyard debris, agricultural slash and more — in the Banks Fire District, Tualatin Valley[Read More…]
National Weather Service: ‘Unseasonably high fire danger throughout this week’
A burn pile that escaped control on NW Strohmeyer Rd on Tuesday, April 13. Photo: Forest Grove Fire & Rescue 11:15 a.m.: A burn ban will go into effect at 12 p.m., local fire agencies announced. 9:07 am.: This story has been updated with more information from the Oregon Department[Read More…]
Concern over fire danger mounts as April temperatures rise
A series of burn piles burn near Highway 6 between Banks and Gales Creek on March 24, 2019. Photo: Chas Hundley With a mid-April forecast showing temperatures in the low 80’s, depending on which forecast you read, local and state fire officials are concerned about fire danger. “While the unseasonably[Read More…]
After 2020 wildfires, seedling challenges remain
Burned trees at the Powerline Fire near Hagg Lake. Photo: FGF&R The Oregon Department of Forestry says demand is unprecedented for forest tree seedlings following the 2020 Oregon wildfires, creating difficulties for reforestation with as many as 140 million seedlings needed to replace what the fires consumed. Kyle Abraham, chief[Read More…]
Fire at Roy home caused by ‘juveniles misusing fire’
Washington County Sheriff’s Officers on scene in Roy. Photo: Forest Grove Fire and Rescue A residence and local landmark in Roy was damaged during a fire on Wednesday evening, according to Forest Grove Fire and Rescue, with no injuries reported for the home’s residents or pets, including a cat and[Read More…]
Fire season ends in NW Oregon forests
Banks Fire District Water Tender 14 responds to a field fire in Gales Creek on Tuesday, August 18. Photo: Chas Hundley The official fire season ended Monday, October 12 in this portion of NW Oregon, bringing to an official close a season unlike any other in recent history in Oregon. [Read More…]
Final daily fire update for Friday, September 18
GRONER K-8 school in Scholls on Wednesday, September 9. Photo: Brad Burke With overnight rains in our area, this will be our final daily fire update, though we will continue to investigate, write about, and follow the continuing story of Oregon’s worst fire season in recent history. Locally, the forests[Read More…]
Thursday, September 17 Fire Update
Twelve fires the Oregon Department of Forestry is working in western Oregon. Map: ODF Updates for Thursday evening on wildfires throughout the state. Rain It’s raining! That’s it. That’s the update. Fire Scams According to the Oregon Department of Forestry, their name is being used in several fraudulent fundraisers purporting[Read More…]