Wildfire in US' Oregon prompts emergency evacuation, closes 20 miles of interstate in Columbia River Gorge
Deeming the situation as alarming, Governor Tina Kotek invoked Emergency Conflagration Act for the Rowena Fire, which allowed the state fire marshal agency to mobilize resources to counter the raging wildfire, a statement from the governor's office said.
An incident management team and six structural task forces were being mobilized with three ready to respond to the situation on Wednesday night and three others to arrive early on Thursday, according to the fire marshal agency.
'This early season conflagration should come as a reminder to Oregonians to be ready for wildfire,' State Fire Marshal Mariana Ruiz-Temple said, reported AP.
Interstate 84 was shut between Hood River and The Dalles, informed the Oregon Department of Transportation. Hood River is a popular destination site which houses 8,000 people and is situated about 55 miles (90 kilometers) east of Portland. The Dalles has more than 15,000 residents.
The Wasco County Sheriff's Office said residents of more than 700 homes were ordered to evacuate in an area stretching northwest of The Dalles along Interstate-84. Residents of another 1,300 homes were ordered to prepare to leave the town due to the spread of wildfire.
A middle school in The Dalles was set up as a temporary shelter and the country fairgrounds housed the livestock and horses as a temporary shelter measure, the sheriff's office said.
The transportation department shared photos of the wildfire which showed flames burning alongside and in the median of Interstate-84 as the wind ignited the smoke. The fire, which broke out on Wednesday, was tackled upon by a water helicopter and a plane dropping fire retardant.
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