By Jurgen Hess. July 19, 2018, 2:00 p.m. update: The Substation wildfire started Tuesday afternoon on Highway 97 east of The Dalles and south of the Celilo Converter Station. The fire has grown to over 60,000 acres burning primarily wheat fields and some grass and brush in Wasco and Sherman counties. The fire is being pushed by westerly winds of 25 mph and has jumped the Deschutes River. There are 178 firefighters on the fire from 32 agencies.
View east from OR Hwy 197. July 18, 2018
According to Lt. Damon Simmons of the State Fire Marshals’ office, one person has been killed. Officials state that likely the person was trying to create a fireline with a tractor. The historic Nelson house has been burned. Highway 97 has been intermittently closed, while Highway 197 is open.
Level 3 evacuations (all must leave) have been ordered for Moro and Grass Valley and areas southeast.
Governor Kate Brown invoked the Emergency Conflagration Act making additional state fire fighting resources available. Two helicopters plus air tankers, some scooping water out of the Columbia River are involved.
An Information Line has been set up at 503.597.8076.
Thank you, Jurgen, for the excellent report.
From D&D at Alturas, Calif., on the road to Sonora Pass area. There are 31 wildfires in Modoc NF. Hope to slip by the closest one tomorrow.