THE DALLES, Ore. — Authorities in Oregon issued evacuation mandates for hundreds of residents and closed a significant stretch of a major highway in response to a wildfire igniting in the Columbia River Gorge on Wednesday.
Governor Tina Kotek enacted Oregon’s Emergency Conflagration Act to address the Rowena Fire, enabling state firefighting resources to be deployed more effectively. The state fire marshal’s office announced its mobilization of an incident management team and six specialized structural task forces, with three units arriving on Wednesday night and the rest expected on Thursday morning.
“Oregonians should view this early season conflagration as a call to action to prepare for wildfires,” emphasized State Fire Marshal Mariana Ruiz-Temple, urging vigilance as fire season progresses.
The Oregon Department of Transportation closed Interstate 84 from Hood River to The Dalles. Hood River, located about 55 miles east of Portland, attracts many tourists and has a population of roughly 8,000. Meanwhile, The Dalles, located further east, is home to over 15,000 residents.
Around 700 households, in an area northwest of The Dalles extending along I-84 and toward the inland, have been ordered to evacuate, informed the Wasco County Sheriff’s Office. An additional 1,300 households were placed on high alert for potential evacuation, affecting residents on the northern side of the town.
To accommodate evacuees, a middle school in The Dalles was designated as a temporary shelter. In addition, the county fairgrounds were opened for housing livestock and horses, according to the sheriff’s office.
Images posted by the transportation department depicted flames alongside and across the median of I-84, with wind exacerbating the spread of smoke. Firefighting efforts included the use of a water-dropping helicopter and an aircraft distributing fire retardant after the blaze erupted on Wednesday.
Transportation department spokesperson David House communicated via email that the highway closure would last indefinitely, citing not just the fire but also the high risks associated with driving through smoke-laden areas.
In a related event, Washington state closed an 8-mile segment of State Route 14 due to a separate brush fire along the Columbia River. Officials are advising travelers in the region to seek alternative routes to ensure safety.