
Oregon wildfire prompts evacuations and closes interstate in Columbia River Gorge
THE DALLES, Ore. — A wildfire in Oregon prompted officials to issue evacuation orders for hundreds of homes and to close nearly 20 miles (32 kilometers) of an interstate in the Columbia River Gorge on Wednesday.
Gov. Tina Kotek invoked the state's Emergency Conflagration Act for the Rowena Fire, allowing the state fire marshal agency to mobilize resources, it said in a statement.
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CBS News
2 hours ago
- CBS News
Storm chances return to Maryland Friday & this weekend
Humidity will gradually increase overnight across the region. Skies will be partly cloudy, and overnight lows will stay warm, settling near 70 degrees in most areas. Friday the 13th begins partly cloudy and turns hot by the afternoon. Temperatures will rise to near 90 degrees, and scattered thunderstorms are expected to develop later in the day. Some of these storms may bring locally heavy rain and gusty winds. Storm activity is expected to last into the early evening before tapering off. Friday night remains partly cloudy and humid, with lows in the upper 60s to near 70. Saturday will feature more cloud cover overall, with partly to mostly cloudy skies. Showers and thunderstorms are likely during the afternoon and evening hours. It will be slightly cooler than Friday, with highs reaching the mid-80s. Any storms that form could again bring brief heavy downpours. On Father's Day, rain chances continue. Skies will be mostly cloudy to overcast, and temperatures will be cooler, with highs only reaching the mid-70s. Outdoor plans may be impacted at times by periods of rain or drizzle. The unsettled weather pattern will continue through the first half of the upcoming week. Monday will bring more scattered storm chances, with highs in the upper 70s. The region may see breaks of sun at times, but any sunshine could fuel storm development during the afternoon. Tuesday will be partly to mostly cloudy with more scattered showers and storms. Temperatures will climb back into the mid-80s. Storm chances remain in the forecast Wednesday, along with warmer temperatures. Highs will reach the upper 80s, and humidity will increase again. Thursday will be warm and humid with additional scattered storm chances and highs around 90 degrees. By next weekend, drier weather is expected to return. Temperatures will stay hot, with highs in the upper 80s and low 90s. The dry stretch looks to coincide with the start of AFRAM festivities, which should benefit from the return of more stable weather conditions.


CBS News
3 hours ago
- CBS News
At least 5 dead, 2 missing in San Antonio after rapid flooding
Five people have been found dead and two others are missing in San Antonio, Texas, after heavy rains caused flooding on highways throughout the city, authorities said Thursday. Heavy overnight rains led to water rescue calls just after 5 a.m. in northeastern San Antonio, near the city's Perrin Beitel neighborhood. The San Antonio Fire Department confirmed in a news release that five people were confirmed dead and two were unaccounted for. Two men and two women were among those found dead, according to CBS affiliate KENS-TV. There were no further details about the fifth victim. The identities of the victims have yet to be released, but one of the victims was identified as a 77-year-old woman, according to KENS. The fire department believes that those rescued or located were initially in their cars sitting in traffic, but by the time emergency crews arrived, they had ended up in trees due to water flooding their vehicles. Multiple damaged cars are seen in flood waters Thursday, June 12, 2025, after heavy rains overnight in San Antonio. Jessica Phelps / AP Fifteen cars were washed away, and 10 people were rescued, according to the fire department, which said it responded to at least 70 water rescues Thursday. Of the 10 rescued, four were taken to hospitals with minor injuries. The fire department called the response an "extremely difficult rescue effort that covered multiple miles." The search is ongoing for the two people who are believed to have been swept away in the floodwaters, the agency said. "While the majority of the water rescue responses were not severe in nature and consisted of our crews assisting drivers from vehicles that were stalled in high water, several of these calls were harrowing and involved our crews entering swift moving water to effect rescues," the fire department said in its release. A damaged car is seen in flood waters Thursday, June 12, 2025, after heavy rains overnight in San Antonio. Jessica Phelps / AP One woman, Angel Richards, told KENS 5 that her husband, Stevie, was on his way to work when he called to say he was caught in the floodwaters. "It's hard because I was on the phone when this happened, and then not to have a lot of communication, to see my car, it's devastating to me," Richards told KENS 5. "No one can say to me, 'Hey, this is what's going on.'"
Yahoo
5 hours ago
- Yahoo
Thousands evacuated in Oregon as 3,500-acre wildfire scorches homes
ROWENA, Ore. – The Rowena Fire in northern Oregon continued to burn Thursday after having scorched thousands of acres, destroying at least 20 homes and other structures and forcing many residents to evacuate. Located about 75 miles east of Portland along the Columbia River, the Rowena Fire has burned more than 3,500 acres and is 0% contained. The Oregon State Fire Marshal said the wildfire began Wednesday near the community of Rowena, where 30-mph winds helped the fire to quickly spread. The Rowena Fire has been fueled by record-low moisture, along with gusty winds, according to the OSFM. The winds have also been shifting, leading officials to expand the evacuation zones early Thursday morning. Officials warned of more wind shifts, poor visibility and hazardous conditions that will continue to create dangerous circumstances, particularly for drivers. They also urged residents to follow evacuation instructions promptly and stay up-to-date on the wildfire. How To Watch Fox Weather "This is only the beginning of what could be a difficult year," said Travis Medema, chief deputy with the Oregon State Fire Marshal. "This fire is occurring under unseasonable conditions and record-low fuel moistures – combined with unstable wind patterns, all of which signal a long and potentially dangerous fire season across the state." According to the U.S. Drought Monitor, about 34% of Oregon is experiencing abnormally dry conditions with nearly 18% of the state in a Level 1 article source: Thousands evacuated in Oregon as 3,500-acre wildfire scorches homes