As reported by Central Oregon Daily News, a wildfire that started Sunday night northwest of Madras, exhibiting what Forest Service officials describe as "extreme fire behavior," grew to 5,093 acres by Tuesday morning and remains 0% contained.
Crews worked through the night to hold the lines on the Elk Lane Fire, according to Central Oregon Fire Information. Multiple Level 3 "Go Now" evacuations were issued after thunderstorms and strong winds moved through the region Sunday night.
A map of the evacuations can be found at this link.
- LEVEL THREE: SW 17, SW 16, NW 5, NW 10, NW 9
- LEVEL TWO: NW 13, NW 4
- LEVEL ONE: NW 7, SW 23, SW 21
Pelton Park is closed until further notice, according to a Portland General Electric spokesman Monday.
Gov. Tina Kotek has invoked the Emergency Conflagration Act for the Elk Lane Fire, which started about seven miles northwest of Madras. This allows the Oregon fire marshal to mobilize state resources to protect life and property.
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The Central Oregon Fire Management Service reported that the fire burned into the Deschutes River Canyon but remained on the east side of the river, threatening structures.
Many evacuees from the Elk Lane Fire near Madras sought shelter at the Jefferson County Fairgrounds, including a woman who said the fire came right at her home. The evacuation center has since been moved to Madras High School, though fire command remains at the Jefferson County Fairgrounds. Large animals can also stay at the fairgrounds.
Two task forces from Lincoln and Polk counties, pre-positioned in Central Oregon ahead of the weekend, assisted local agencies with structure protection, according to OSFM.
“Pre-positioning these resources has been an extremely valuable tool as our agency focuses on being proactive in keeping fires small and away from communities," Oregon State Fire Marshal Mariana Ruiz-Temple said in a statement.
OSFM mobilized its Red Incident Management Team and three additional structural task forces, with more resources en route.
