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USA Today
21-07-2025
- Climate
- USA Today
Cram Fire in Oregon, the nation's largest blaze in 2025, nears megafire status
The Cram Fire in central Oregon became the nation's largest wildfire this year as the blaze neared 100,000 acres on July 20, destroying four homes and threatening hundreds of structures, authorities said. The fire, which broke out on July 13, exploded in size over recent days after hot and dry conditions and gusty winds increased wildfire risks in parts of the state. Fire crews were challenged during the week by changing wind directions and rugged, steep terrain, but cooler temperatures and higher humidity levels over the weekend are expected to help firefighting efforts. By 9 a.m. local time on July 20, the fire had expanded to 95,748 acres and was 49% contained, according to the Central Oregon Fire Information. The size of the fire was "slightly reduced" from July 19 after "more accurate mapping" was completed, officials said on the fire's information page. "Crews are building on the progress made yesterday and overnight," according to a July 20 update on the fire's information page. "Cooler temperatures and higher humidity are creating better conditions for mop-up work, especially along the fire perimeter and around structures." The fire ignited near Willowdale, a sparsely populated area about 133 miles southeast of Portland, and swept through grasslands and rangeland in the region, fire officials said. The cause of the blaze remains under investigation. Local authorities in Jefferson, Wasco, and Crook counties have issued evacuation orders or warnings across multiple zones. A total of four residences and two other structures were destroyed in the fire, according to the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office. The Cram Fire is one of at least 46 active wildfires, most of which have been contained, in Oregon, according to the state's fires and hotspots dashboard. The fire also leads the list of wildfire incidents in 2025, followed by the Madre Fire in central California that has burned nearly 81,000 acres, according to InciWeb, a federal government wildfire tracker. Arizona wildfire: The Grand Canyon fire exploded in size, catching officials off guard. Why? Cram Fire nears megafire status as officials warn of worsening wildfire conditions The Cram Fire has grown increasingly close to becoming Oregon's first megafire of the season. A megafire is defined by the National Interagency Fire Center as a wildfire that burns more than 100,000 acres of land. Fire officials said more than 900 personnel were responding to the blaze in addition to 88 fire engines, 18 handcrews, and eight helicopters. The Central Oregon Fire Information noted on July 20 that while fire behavior has moderated, crews continued to focus on gridding near the fire's perimeter and reducing materials that have the potential of fueling spot fires. "Yesterday was another favorable day with us with the weather, and so a lot of good work was done," Scott Stutzman, operations section chief of the Oregon State Fire Marshal, said in a video update on July 20. "We'll have those crews out there continuing to maintain a presence mopping up, and also assisting our wildland partners on the perimeter." On July 16, Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek declared a state of emergency that will last through the end of the year "due to the imminent threat of wildfire." Multiple large wildfires have already exploded in 2025, largely east of the Cascade Range, according to the Salem Statesman Journal, part of the USA TODAY Network. Oregon's wildfire danger is forecast to remain above normal through summer, the Salem Statesman Journal reported. "Oregon is already experiencing a devastating wildfire season that will have lasting consequences," Kotek said in a news release. "The summer is only getting hotter, drier, and more dangerous – we have to be prepared for worsening conditions." See maps: Which cities are experiencing poor air quality from wildfires? 'Fire activity is high across the country' The National Interagency Fire Center warned on July 20 that "fire activity is high across the country," adding that there are 91 large, uncontained wildfires. "Nearly 18,000 wildland firefighters and support personnel are on the ground nationwide," the center said in an update. "In 2025 thus far, there have been 40,934 total wildfires, for a combined acreage of 2,850,245." Hot, dry, and windy weather continues to fuel wildfire conditions across parts of the Northwest, Great Basin, and Southwest, according to the center. The center added that some areas were forecast to see wind gusts over 40 mph and low humidity levels "dropping into the single digits." The center noted that each year, thousands of wildfires in the United States are caused by people. "Major causes of these fires include loss of control of debris burning, unattended or unextinguished campfires, and sparks or heat transfer from vehicles and equipment like chainsaws or recreational vehicles," the center said. Contributing: Zach Urness and Rose Shimberg, Salem Statesman Journal
New York Post
26-06-2025
- New York Post
Amber Alert issued for missing Idaho teens, mom believes FLDS members took them after she escaped church
Idaho officials have issued an Amber Alert for two missing teens who may be heading to Utah over their 'religious beliefs,' according to authorities and local reports. The Jefferson County Sheriff's Office believes Allen Larand Fischer, 13, and Rachelle Leray Fischer, 15, both members of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (FLDS), left their Monteview, Idaho, home and returned to Trenton, Utah, where they previously lived, around June 22. Their older sister, Elintra Dee Fischer, 18, was reported missing on Jan. 1, 2023. The Sheriff's Office believes the children 'willingly left to return to Trenton, Utah due to religious beliefs.' Advertisement 4 An Amber Alert was issued for Rachael Leray Fischer. Jefferson County Idaho Sheriff's Office 4 Allen Larand Fischer is missing. Jefferson County Idaho Sheriff's Office On Tuesday, the sheriff's office said that through the course of its investigation, 'detectives have been unable to find concrete evidence regarding a vehicle Rachelle and Allen Fischer may have left in.' 'We have confirmed that the vehicle that was initially reported as being involved has not traveled to Idaho during the time that Rachelle and Allen went missing,' the sheriff's office said in a Tuesday Facebook post. 'Detectives have narrowed down the time frame that the children went missing to [Sunday, June 22] between the hours of 6 [p.m.] and 8 p.m.' Advertisement The sheriff's office said it was 'unsure' at this point 'if they have left the immediate area or are still close by.' 4 An Amber Alert was issued for Allen Larand Fischer. Jefferson County Idaho Sheriff's Office The children's mother, Elizabeth Roundy, spoke with FOX 13 Salt Lake City and said she used to be a plural wife, or in a polyamorous marriage, and left the FLDS church in 2020. Advertisement 'They consider me to be an apostate now,' she told the outlet. 'I was sent away to repent, and I came back for my children, and I had to go through the courts to get them back.' Court documents obtained by FOX 13 show Roudy was awarded custody of Allen, Rachelle and Elintra, her three youngest children. 4 Mother claims children disappeared after religious brainwashing as Amber Alert issued. Jefferson County Idaho Sheriff's Office Advertisement Authorities believe Elintra may be taking her two siblings back to Utah, but that information has not been confirmed, according to FOX 13. 'They've just been brainwashed and turned against me,' Roundy told the outlet. The Jefferson County Sheriff's Office is asking anyone with information about the missing juveniles to contact their dispatch center at 208-745-9210 option 7.
26-06-2025
Amber Alert issued for missing Idaho teens linked to FLDS group
Two teenagers went missing from eastern Idaho, according to local authorities, and their mother says she believes they left with members of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (FLDS). Rachelle Fischer, 15, and Allen Fisher, 13, were last seen on the evening of Sunday, June 22, 2025, in Monteview, Idaho, according to the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office. Elizabeth Roundy, the children's mother and former FLDS member, told Salt Lake City ABC affiliate ABC4 she believes her children left with their older sister to fulfill religious obligations. The FLDS is a polygamist breakaway offshoot of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and its leader is serving a life sentence in prison. "They [were] willing to go because they think that it's their salvation," Roundy said. The Idaho State Police issued an Amber Alert for the two teens. The children were last seen wearing traditional FLDS clothing, police said. Rachelle was reportedly wearing a dark green prairie dress, while Allen was seen in a light blue shirt with jeans and black slip-on shoes. Rachelle is 5 feet 5 inches tall, 135 pounds with brown hair and blue eyes. Allen is described as 5 feet 9 inches tall, 135 pounds with longer sandy blonde hair and blue eyes. Authorities believe they may be attempting to return to Trenton, Utah, where they previously lived, due to religious beliefs. The children's older sister, Elintra Dee Fischer, now 18, was reported missing on January 1, 2023, and has not been located. Roundy told ABC News' "IMPACT x Nightline" in a 2023 interview, "I am positive that FLDS are hiding Elintra." Roundy believes the case may connect to broader developments within the FLDS church. In 2022, Warren Jeffs, the sect's imprisoned leader, began issuing new "revelations," including one in June 2022 calling for children of ex-members to return to the fold, according to the messages, which ABC News obtained. In 2023, ABC News attempted to reach the FLDS church through Helaman Jeffs, the son of Warren Jeffs, who had been issuing his father's "revelations," but did not receive a response. ABC News also wrote to Warren Jeffs in prison but did not hear back. Warren Jeffs is currently serving a life sentence for sexually assaulting girls as young as 12 but continues to lead the sect from prison. The Jefferson County Sheriff's Office is asking anyone with information about Rachelle and Allen to contact their dispatch center at 208-745-9210.
Newsweek
25-06-2025
- Newsweek
Missing Teens Feared To Have Returned to Polygamous Group—Sheriff
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Law enforcement officials in Jefferson County, Idaho, issued an Amber Alert after 13-year-old Allen Larand Fischer and 15-year-old Rachelle Leray Fischer disappeared from Monteview on Sunday. The children may be headed to a Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (FLDS) group in Mendon, Utah, according to the alert issued by the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office. The children were last seen wearing traditional FLDS clothing, ABC4 reported. Rachelle was reportedly wearing a dark green prairie dress, while Allen was wearing a blue shirt with jeans. An Amber Alert remains active for both children and law enforcement continues to seek information from the public. Law enforcement officials in Jefferson County, Idaho, issued an Amber Alert after 13-year-old Allen Larand Fischer and 15-year-old Rachelle Leray Fischer went missing. Law enforcement officials in Jefferson County, Idaho, issued an Amber Alert after 13-year-old Allen Larand Fischer and 15-year-old Rachelle Leray Fischer went missing. Jefferson County Sheriff's Office Why It Matters The children's mother, Elizabeth Roundy, told ABC4 that she fears this an abduction linked to a revelation claimed to have been received by FLDS President Warren Jeffs in 2022. The revelation allegedly instructs members to prepare their children for so-called spiritual transformation requiring death and resurrection. "It encourages them to gather their followers, and they get to become translated beings, but they must die first, and then they'll be risen like Jesus Christ in two to three days and made pure," Tonia Tewell, executive director of Holding out HELP, a group that supports people leaving polygamous groups, told ABC4. What To Know Facts of the Disappearance Allen and Rachelle were last seen at their Monteview home on Sunday, reported. Roundy said that she left to attend a Bible class, and when she returned, the children were gone. Authorities initially described the siblings as possibly traveling in a gray Honda or Hyundai sedan with Utah license plates. On Tuesday, the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office said detectives have been unable to find "concrete evidence" regarding a vehicle the siblings may have left in. "We have confirmed that the vehicle that was initially reported as being involved, has not travelled to Idaho during the time that Rachelle and Allen went missing," the sheriff's office said on Facebook. The sheriff's office said it is unsure if the children have left the immediate area or are still close by. At the time of their disappearance, Allen was described as 5-foot-9, around 135 pounds, with sandy blond hair and blue eyes. Rachelle was described as 5-foot-5, 135 pounds, with brown hair and blue eyes. Mother's Suspicions and Family History Roundy left the FLDS church more than five years ago but said her children maintained deep connections to the group. She alleged that the current situation might involve older siblings, specifically her 18-year-old daughter, Elintra Dee Fischer, who went missing in January 2023 and has not been located. Roundy told that she observed suspicious vehicle activity near her home. Context: FLDS Church in the United States The FLDS is a Mormon fundamentalist group not affiliated with the mainstream LDS Church. The FLDS gained national notoriety for its polygamous practices, alleged forced marriages and the 2011 conviction of Jeffs on felony sexual assault charges involving minors. Despite Jeffs' imprisonment, his reported influence over the FLDS community remains significant. What People Are Saying Elizabeth Roundy, mother of the missing children, told "I'm very concerned about their well-being, and of course, I'm missing them very badly. I'm heartbroken they're gone." Jefferson County Sheriff's Office, in a Facebook post on Monday: "It is believed that the children willingly left to return to Trenton, Utah due to religious beliefs." What Happens Next The Jefferson County Sheriff's Office is asking the public to report any possible sightings of Rachelle and Allen by calling the dispatch center at 208-745-9210, option 7. Do you have a story that Newsweek should be covering? Do you have any questions about this story? Contact LiveNews@
Fox News
25-06-2025
- Fox News
Mother claims children disappeared after religious brainwashing as Amber Alert issued
Print Close By Audrey Conklin Published June 25, 2025 Idaho officials have issued an Amber Alert for two missing teens who may be heading to Utah over their "religious beliefs," according to authorities and local reports. The Jefferson County Sheriff's Office believes Allen Larand Fischer, 13, and Rachelle Leray Fischer, 15, both members of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (FDLS), left their Monteview, Idaho, home and returned to Trenton, Utah, where they previously lived, around June 22. Their older sister, Elintra Dee Fischer, 18, was reported missing on Jan. 1, 2023. The Sheriff's Office believes the children "willingly left to return to Trenton, Utah due to religious beliefs." On Tuesday, the sheriff's office said that through the course of its investigation, "detectives have been unable to find concrete evidence regarding a vehicle Rachelle and Allen Fischer may have left in." MOTHER CHARGED WITH MURDER AFTER FAKING KIDNAPPING OF 3-YEAR-OLD DAUGHTER: POLICE "We have confirmed that the vehicle that was initially reported as being involved has not traveled to Idaho during the time that Rachelle and Allen went missing," the sheriff's office said in a Tuesday Facebook post. "Detectives have narrowed down the time frame that the children went missing to [Sunday, June 22] between the hours of 6 [p.m.] and 8 p.m." NATIONAL GUARD DEPLOYED IN MANHUNT FOR SURVIVALIST ACCUSED OF KILLING HIS THREE YOUNG DAUGHTERS The sheriff's office said it was "unsure" at this point "if they have left the immediate area or are still close by." The children's mother, Elizabeth Roundy, spoke with FOX 13 Salt Lake City and said she used to be a plural wife, or in a polyamorous marriage, and left the FLDS church in 2020. WASHINGTON STATE FATHER WANTED FOR MURDER AFTER 3 DAUGHTERS FOUND DEAD "They consider me to be an apostate now," she told the outlet. "I was sent away to repent, and I came back for my children, and I had to go through the courts to get them back." Court documents obtained by FOX 13 show Roudy was awarded custody of Allen, Rachelle and Elintra, her three youngest children. MISSING WISCONSIN TEEN FOUND THAN TWO MONTHS AFTER DISAPPEARANCE Authorities believe Elintra may be taking her two siblings back to Utah, but that information has not been confirmed, according to FOX 13. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP "They've just been brainwashed and turned against me," Roundy told the outlet. The Jefferson County Sheriff's Office is asking anyone with information about the missing juveniles to contact their dispatch center at 208-745-9210 option 7. Print Close URL
