Burning more than 3,500 acres in the Columbia River Gorge, the blaze continues to consume resources and Scenic Area land
Scenic disaster: The Rowena Fire in the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area, seen here from across the river near Lyle, Wash., started on June 11. Photo: Lesley Lamb
UPDATE: On June 23, 2025, two residents filed a lawsuit alleging that the Rowena Fire was caused by a Union Pacific train on June 11 when a train “emitted superheated particles and ignited dry brush and other vegetation” about three miles northwest of The Dalles. “After conducting its own extensive investigation, Union Pacific has found no evidence to date that our train caused the Rowena Fire,” Union Pacific said in statement, also saying it is “fully cooperating with state investigators.” —Editor
By Jurgen Hess. June 16, 2025. On June 12, twin-engine amphibious planes roared 200 feet above a media briefing in Mayer State Park in The Dalles, Ore., almost drowning out the voices of officials as they attempted to convey information.
The planes were scooping up Columbia River water—1,620 gallons per run—to drop on the Rowena Fire, which started on June 11.
The blaze near the town of Rowena in the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area along Highway 30 west of The Dalles, has since grown to 3,636 acres.
Response time: USFS Incident Commander Roland Rose prepares for a media briefing after the start of the Rowena Fire. Photo: Jurgen Hess
According to the Wasco County Sheriff’s Office, 56 houses have been destroyed and 4,000 homes remain under some level of evacuation order.
Initially managed by the U.S. Forest Service, the Oregon Department of Forestry has since assumed management of the fire.
“The focus is on protecting structures,” said Roland Rose, the USFS’s incident commander.
The fire started on Wednesday, June 11, at 1:30 p.m. on land adjacent to Union Pacific railroad tracks and Interstate 84, a mile and a half west of Rowena.
Westerly winds of 25-to-30 mph blew flames east on both sides of I-84.
As of June 15, the fire was 24% contained, and still burning on the steep slopes south of Highway 30.
The fire has been determined to be human-caused. Investigators are analyzing the area.
According to the Oregon Department of Forestry, 726 personnel have been engaged to fight the fire, along with 47 fire engines, nine helicopters, three twin-engine “water scooper” aircraft and two bulldozers. The size of the fire was determined by nighttime, infrared aerial photography.
Ore. Gov. Tina Kotek invoked the Emergency Conflagration Act authorizing the Oregon State Fire Marshal to mobilize structural-protection fire crews from the entire state to assist and protect houses.
Information on the Rowena Fire is available at Inciweb.
Animal shelter evacuated
The fire spread to the south side of the Columbia Gorge Discovery Center & Museum in The Dalles, Ore. While the center was not harmed, its sign on I-84 was burned.
Adjacent to the Discovery Center, the historic Fulton-Taylor House was completely burned.
Marion Taylor famously painted her house pink to thumb her nose at the Columbia River Gorge Commission, which was established in 1987 to help manage the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area.
Colorful past, grim present: The historic Fulton-Taylor House was obliterated by the blaze. Photo: Jurgen Hess
Now owned by Friends of the Columbia Gorge, the house was repainted tan to blend in with the natural environment.
“We are trying to find living accommodations for the house tenant,” Friends of the Columbia Gorge Executive Director Kevin Gorman told Columbia Insight.
Shortly after the fire broke out, Columbia Gorge Humane Society volunteers evacuated dozens of dogs and cats from the organization’s animal shelter in The Dalles. Staffers from the City of The Dalles and Fun Country Powersports assisted in the evacuation.
The evacuation to private boarding facilities in or near The Dalles took about two hours.
The shelter area was later placed under a Level 1 evacuation warning, the lowest level, allowing animals to be transferred back to the shelter on Friday and Saturday.
It’s burned before
The current Rowena Fire area burned in August 2014 in a blaze also named the Rowena Fire. That fire destroyed one house.
Fire season has started early in 2025, with fires burning across the Pacific Northwest.
“Conditions are like it’s August,” said Oregon State Fire Marshal Travis Moderna.
Close call: The Columbia Gorge Discovery Center & Museum sign was ruined by flame. The center itself was unharmed. Photo: Jurgen Hess
Fires often re-burn land as vegetation regrows.
The rate of re-burn of old fire areas is especially high in dry eastern Oregon.
