Two wildfires in northeast Oregon have prompted Gov. Tina Kotek to mobilize emergency state firefighting resources.
As of Wednesday afternoon, the Hat Rock Fire near Hat Rock State Park along the Oregon-Washington border in Umatilla County had spread to about 15,000 acres, according to the Oregon State Fire Marshal’s Office. The Mount Hebron fire near Pendleton was contained at about 600 acres. Both started around midday Tuesday and have grown under the dry and windy conditions in northeast Oregon.
Kotek declared an emergency conflagration Tuesday evening, deploying the Oregon State Fire Marshal’s Office to direct six task forces from around the state to aid in the firefighting efforts. Those forces are made up of 72 firefighters, 24 engines and six water tender, according to the Fire Marshal’s Office. It also deployed an incident management team of 35 people.
The Umatilla County Sheriff’s Office has issued Level 3 evacuation orders for the Hat Rock fire, meaning residents should leave immediately. It was not immediately clear how many people live in the area. Some residents near the Mount Hebron fire have chosen to evacuate, according to the Sheriff’s Office. It did not provide more details. The fire has already burned some outbuildings, it said in a statement.
The National Weather Service in Pendleton has issued a red flag warning for Gilliam, Morrow and Umatilla counties, meaning there is an increased risk of fire danger.
The Hat Rock and Mount Hebron fires are the first major wildfires this summer, Kotek said in a statement. “Right now, we are focused on keeping families and properties safe and providing up-to-date information as the wildfires evolve,” she said.
By Alex Baumhardt of Oregon Capital Chronicle
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