Wildfires

Cleaner Air Is Coming to Western Oregon Tonight, but Wildfire Smoke Could Worsen Farther East

After several days of staring through a brown haze, people across western Oregon may finally be able to open a window and see the hills again. Wildfire smoke that settled over Portland, Salem, Eugene and much of the Willamette Valley is expected to begin thinning Thursday afternoon, with a more...

Highway 26 Remains Closed Between Prineville and Mitchell as Massive Oregon Wildfire Burns Nearby

One of Central Oregon’s most important east-west highways remains shut down as firefighters continue working along the sprawling Rowe Creek Complex. As of Thursday, August 6, U.S. Highway 26 was still closed between Prineville and Mitchell. Oregon Department of Transportation information showed...

National Media Claims Timberline Lodge Is “At Risk of Burning Down,” but the Facts Say Otherwise

Wildfires are serious. Evacuation notices are serious. And when fire officials tell Oregonians to prepare, people should pay attention. But serious situations don’t need to be exaggerated to generate clicks. A national news story published by The Independent on Wednesday claimed that Timberline...

Yes, Wildfire Betting Is Really a Thing, and Oregon Senators Want It Stopped

As wildfires force evacuations, destroy homes and send smoke across Oregon and the West, some people are apparently watching the devastation with something other than concern. They’re betting money on it. Online prediction markets have begun offering contracts that allow users to wager on wildfire...

A Forgotten Newspaper Clipping Reveals Oregon’s Wildfire Debate Was Already Raging More Than 120 Years Ago

Smoke had drifted into Lane County again, turning the sky a sickly-yellow and the surrounding hills into indistinct hazy blue, when I found myself remembering an old newspaper clipping I’d saved during some research into western Oregon history. The clipping came from Hazel Dell, the small...
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