5 days ago
Cram Fire explodes to 28,000 acres, closes Highway 97 in central Oregon
For the latest updates on the Cram Fire, click here.
The Cram Fire exploded to 28,000 acres on July 15, shut down Highway 97 north of Madras and has degraded air quality in central Oregon.
The fire, ignited July 13, was fueled by hot temperatures and gusty winds and grew rapidly to become the state's largest blaze.
The fire brought widespread level 1, 2 and 3 evacuations to Wasco and Jefferson counties, near the small towns of Ashwood and Antelope.
A full evacuation map can be found at
Highway 97 is closed between mileposts 70 and 76 near Antelope and could stay that way for an extended period, fire officials said. Travelers should check before navigating the area.
Air quality dropped to unhealthy levels in Madras by the afternoon of July 15 and moderate in the Bend area.
As light east winds arrive in Oregon and temperatures heat up, smoke could spread west into the Cascade Range on July 16.
Shelter opened for evacuees of Cram Fire in central Oregon
A shelter has been opened at Madras Middle School, and a Red Cross team is set up at the Jefferson County Middle School as an evacuation site, according to the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office. The Jefferson County Fairgrounds said it would hold evacuees' large animals until July 18.
Gov. Tina Kotek invoked the Emergency Conflagration Act for the Cram Fire on July 14, allowing the Oregon State Fire Marshal to send teams to conduct structure protection for homes in the area. It was the sixth time Kotek has invoked the act so far this fire season.
'The fire jumped Trout Creek and ran up Ranger Butte and is now moving to the southeast,' fire teams wrote the morning of July 15. 'The fire is burning in steep and rugged country with few roads and challenging access. Today's priorities will be structure protection and scouting for opportunities to construct containment lines."
Fire crews are using airplanes and helicopters to cool hot spots and make tactical retardant drops.
'Temperatures are expected to be lower today, but conditions remain dry and receptive to ignition,' crews wrote.
Zach Urness has been an outdoors reporter in Oregon for 18 years and is host of the Explore Oregon Podcast. He can be reached at zurness@ or (503) 399-6801. Find him on X at @ZachsORoutdoors and BlueSky at
This article originally appeared on Salem Statesman Journal: Oregon wildfires: Cram Fire closes Highway 97 in central Oregon
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