A fire broke out in Jefferson County yesterday afternoon, prompting Level 3 – GO NOW evacuations for some areas south of Lake Billy Chinook and Level 1 and 2 alerts in other areas. The Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office reported the fire is off of Geneva Road, impacting areas south of Three Rivers. The fire was reported to have grown to about 600 acres by 8:30 pm. According to Central Oregon fire officials and Watch Duty, the wildfire has been named the Flat Fire and is burning seven miles west of Culver. Initial resources on the fire included two Type 1 helicopters, two single-engine air tankers, six engines and five bulldozers. A Central Oregon Type 3 Incident Management Team has been ordered to help fight the fire. As of this morning, the Flat Fire has reached 3,000 acres, according to the National Interagency Fire Center.
Much of the Pacific Northwest is about to experience a sustained heat wave that will lead to even drier conditions, increasing the risk for new fire starts. Some areas in the region have not had any wetting rain in over 100 days. That fact, combined with extreme temperatures means ground fuels can be primed to burn and burn fast. A Red Flag Warning was issued by the NWS yesterday afternoon through tonight for wind and low relative humidity for the Warm Springs Reservation in particular, as well as southeastern Wasco and northeastern Jefferson Counties. These areas are expected to see critical fire weather conditions during the day today as RHs drop well into the teens. Almost the entirety of the Pacific Northwest is expected to maintain above-average wildfire potential through August and September, according to the National Interagency Fire Center. Please stay vigilant, follow local fire restrictions and do your part to prevent any human-caused fires!
Thousands of runners and walkers are taking part in the 43rd Hood to Coast relay today and tomorrow. The 200-mile race begins at Timberline Lodge on Mount Hood and ends at Seaside Beach, with the route passing through Portland, Scappoose and Astoria. This year’s event could be the hottest on record, with temperatures expected to hit 100 degrees. To help keep participants safe, Hood to Coast organizers will deploy bike security teams and first responders along the course. The added presence could further slow traffic in some areas. Heavy traffic is expected along Highway 26 between Portland and Mount Hood. With staggered race start times, delays should be moderate, though the usual afternoon traffic headed east could make congestion worse. The course has 35 exchanges where runners hand off to teammates, but five are considered “major” exchanges, where a team’s two vans will meet. These exchange points are expected to have the greatest traffic impacts due to both vans from every team being on the roads nearby and hundreds of volunteers convening to staff the stations. Sandy High School, OMSI in Portland and the Columbia County Fairgrounds in St. Helens are some of the major exchange points.
Warm Springs K-8 Academy Eagles football practices will begin on Monday at 4:30. If your student is playing, make sure their sports physical forms are on file with the school office.
The Madras High School cross country team is gearing up for a promising season under the guidance of Head Coach Brad Padgett. Coach Padgett, now in his fourth year, brings a unique perspective to the sport, having been a football player and wrestler in his own athletic career. He emphasizes that cross country at Madras High is built on a foundation of hard work and grit, evident to anyone who sees the dedicated runners training daily around the high school.
The Madras High cross-country team has a strong track record, holding the most state championships in the school’s gym, a legacy Coach Padgett hopes to see revived. The team’s schedule, available on the OSAA website, includes a home meet on October 8th at Juniper Hills Park.