Thousands of Oregonians were evacuated from their homes Tuesday, as conditions led to a spate of surging wildfires state officials said is unprecedented in modern memory.
Three wildfires are burning off of Highway 18 near Lincoln City. Portions of Echo Mountain Road are under Level 3 and Level 1 evacuation notices, and portions of Kimberling Mountain Road along Highway 18 also report Level 3, 2, and 1 evacuation orders.
Highway 18 (to Lincoln City) Wildfire Information:
A fire along Highway 18 (which runs between the Willamette Valley and Lincoln City on the Oregon Coast) has closed the highway between mileposts 8 and 10. Drivers must find an alternate route to reach the Oregon Coast at this time.
- Key Information resources:
With strong westward gusts pushing established fires over the crest of the Cascades, and setting off still more fires, officials said they were so focused on protecting lives and property that suppressing the blazes consuming hundreds of thousands of acres would have to wait.
As of 8 a.m. Tuesday, a fire near Waldport remains contained, though residents of nearby Swisshome were issued a mandatory evacuation early this morning for an unrelated fire.
Those leaving the area have few available routes, as downed trees and powerlines have closed Highway 101 north of Depoe Bay and Highway 34 from mileposts 4-5. Mileposts 7-10 are closed along Highway 18.
Oregon Current Fire Updates: https://www.oregon.gov/odf/fire/pages/firestats.aspx
Access Interactive Fire Map for Oregon Fires here: https://gacc.nifc.gov/nwcc/information/firemap.aspx
NWCC Public Information Blogwww.nwccinfo.blogspot.com