Oregon reports 49 large fires, 1.2M acres

Oregon and Washington were contending with 49 large fires on August 5, according to regional fire reporting cited by local broadcasters, as smoke spread across much of the Pacific Northwest and air quality worsened in major population centers. Oregon officials separately reported fresh updates on several of the state’s biggest blazes, including the Grasshopper Fire near Mount Hood and the Rowe Creek Complex in central Oregon. Washington state air officials said smoke from multiple fires was expected to affect both eastern and western parts of the state through the week. The combined effect was a fire response stretching across two states, with highway closures, evacuations and public health warnings in place. ### Which fires account for most of the acreage in Oregon? Oregon’s five largest fires had burned about 1.2 million acres as of August 5, according to the regional total cited in local coverage. Among the named incidents were the Big Grass Fire in Malheur County, the Rowe Creek Complex south of Fossil, and the Grasshopper Fire in the Mount Hood area. (katu.com) The Big Grass Fire had burned 358,959 acres and was 35% contained on August 5, according to an incident update carried by Elkhorn Media Group from official fire information. The Rowe Creek Complex had burned 329,012 acres and reached 62% containment, while the Grasshopper Fire had grown to 39,439 acres with 20% containment, according to Oregon wildfire updates published the same day. (katu.com) ### Why is smoke hitting Portland, central Oregon and Washington cities? Washington’s Department of Ecology said on August 3 that multiple large fires were producing heavy smoke and that shifting winds were expected to carry it across the Columbia Basin and into parts of western Washington, including the Seattle metro area. The agency said unhealthy to very unhealthy air quality was continuing in many areas and warned that smoke was likely to persist for several days under hot, dry conditions. (elkhornmediagroup.com) Portland and central Oregon were also under smoke impacts tied to the Oregon and Washington fires, according to local reports and air quality coverage published this week. AirNow says its Fire and Smoke Map tracks PM2.5 pollution from wildfires and other sources, and Oregon officials directed the public to state and federal air-quality resources as smoke conditions changed. (ecology.wa.gov) ### What is happening at the Grasshopper Fire near Mount Hood? The Grasshopper Fire had reached 39,439 acres and 20% containment by August 5 as it pushed toward the Highway 35 corridor, Oregon officials said. More than 1,320 personnel were assigned to the lightning-caused fire, and crews were working around Bennett Pass, Lookout Mountain and the Badger Bowl area. (katu.com) Timberline Lodge was under an evacuation order as the fire neared, according to Oregon Live, and local reporting said evacuations had expanded in parts of Hood River and Wasco counties as the fire moved west. Oregon officials said the fire was approaching Highway 35, one of the main routes on Mount Hood’s east side. (apps.oregon.gov) ### What is the latest on the Rowe Creek Complex? The Rowe Creek Complex had burned 329,012 acres and was 62% contained on August 5, according to Oregon’s wildfire news page. Officials said U.S. Highway 26 would remain closed because crews were still clearing brush, felling hazardous trees and using helicopters to support burnout operations near the fire line. (oregonlive.com) Prineville-area residents were scheduled to get another public update at a Rowe Creek Complex meeting on Thursday, August 6, according to local radio coverage. Oregon officials said the fire remained an active work zone despite the gain in containment. ### Where can residents find the next official updates? (wildfire.oregon.gov) Oregon’s wildfire response page was carrying daily incident updates on August 5 for the Grasshopper Fire and the Rowe Creek Complex, along with contact information for the Oregon Department of Forestry, Oregon State Fire Marshal and state emergency management agencies. The Northwest Coordination Center’s large-fire map also remained active, with incident summaries and perimeter data for Oregon and Washington fires. (mycentraloregon.com) (wildfire.oregon.gov)