Oregon Wildfire Torches Homes, Forces Hundreds to Evacuate as Blaze Hits 3,500 Acres [Video]

A fast-growing wildfire in Oregon’s Columbia River Gorge has already ravaged around 3,500 acres, with zero containment as of Thursday, forcing evacuations and road closures. Local authorities are warning that this blaze could foreshadow a fierce fire season.

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The blaze, dubbed the Rowena Fire, prompted evacuation orders for hundreds of residents and shut down a stretch of Interstate 84 between Hood River and The Dalles. The Oregon Department of Transportation confirmed the shutdown on Wednesday, though traffic resumed by Thursday.

Under Governor Tina Kotek’s invocation of the Emergency Conflagration Act, state fire marshal teams moved in, deploying six structural task forces, three arriving Wednesday night, and three more by Thursday morning.

Initial reports indicate roughly 20 homes have been destroyed already, while approximately 2,200 structures remain threatened.

“This early-season conflagration should come as a reminder to Oregonians to be ready for wildfire,” urged State Fire Marshal Mariana Ruiz-Temple. As parts of Oregon bake in record-breaking early heat, the rapid escalation of the blaze signals heightened risks ahead.

Evacuation orders span over 700 homes northwest of The Dalles along I‑84, with more than 1,300 additional homes told to prepare, including neighborhoods in the town’s northern area. Authorities converted a local middle school into a shelter for evacuees and set up a livestock refuge at the county fairgrounds.

Racing winds fueled the inferno, with flames encroaching on the highway median. Responders used aerial support, a water helicopter, and a retardant-dropping plane to combat the blaze, which erupted Wednesday evening.

The Rowena Fire underscores how a combination of unseasonably dry conditions and rising temperatures is priming the West for a brutal fire season, one that may only worsen as the months advance.