PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — On Monday, a section of a vital interstate highway in Oregon was shut down due to an encroaching wildfire, which has led to evacuation directives amid a slew of blazes across the state.
The Oregon Department of Transportation reported that the Fox Fire necessitated the closure of Interstate 84, spanning approximately 70 miles (113 kilometers) between Baker City and Ontario near the Idaho state border. I-84 is a crucial route, linking Portland with eastern Oregon as it stretches through the Columbia River Gorge before heading towards Boise, Idaho.
The western U.S. has faced relentless wildfires this summer season, exacerbated by prolonged dry spells, historically low snowfalls in some regions, intense heat, and unpredictable winds. Tragically, federal officials revealed on Saturday that a fourth firefighter succumbed to injuries sustained when he and his team were caught in a swiftly advancing wildfire near the Colorado-Utah border last month.
The Fox Fire is raging near the Oregon-Idaho border, around 12 miles (19 kilometers) northeast of the small town of Huntington. With a population of 500, Huntington has been ordered to evacuate. The town is close to I-84, and Ontario, which also sits on the state line, lies approximately 30 miles (48 kilometers) to the southeast.
Propelled by hot, dry, and windy conditions, the Fox Fire has charred nearly 72 square miles (186 square kilometers) and, as of Monday, had not been contained.
With aircraft potentially grounded due to limited visibility from the smoke, firefighters were building bulldozer lines around Huntington near a railroad that also runs through the area to protect critical infrastructure, authorities said.
The state transportation department warned people on social media to avoid the area, adding that no local detours were available due to other roads also being closed due to fire.
Elsewhere in eastern Oregon, the state transportation department’s website showed a rural stretch of U.S. Route 20 was also closed Monday due to wildfire for nearly 70 miles, between the small cities of Burns and Vale.
In central Oregon, the Akawa Butte Fire was deemed a top priority for firefighting due to its proximity — about 5 miles (8 kilometers) — to Sisters, a small city of about 3,000 people. While authorities said Sunday that fire activity had decreased across much of the fire, part of the town is still under an evacuation notice with residents told to be prepared to leave if necessary.