PORTLAND, Oregon – A fast-moving wildfire in eastern Oregon temporarily closed a 70-mile stretch of Interstate 84 on Monday, disrupted a major transportation corridor and prompted mandatory evacuations for a small community near the Idaho border as firefighters battled multiple blazes across the state.
The Oregon Department of Transportation closed Interstate 84 between Baker City and Ontario before reopening the highway later in the day. Officials warned that the Fox Fire remains active and that intermittent closures could be required if fire conditions worsen.
Interstate 84 is one of Oregon’s primary east-west highways, connecting Portland with communities across eastern Oregon before continuing into Idaho through Boise. The temporary closure underscored the growing impact of wildfire activity on transportation, public safety and regional infrastructure.
Fox Fire Threatens Huntington
The Fox Fire is burning about 12 miles (19 kilometers) northeast of Huntington, a town of roughly 500 residents near the Oregon-Idaho border. Authorities placed the community under a Level 3 “Go Now” evacuation order, directing residents to leave immediately.
Fueled by hot, dry and breezy weather, the wildfire had burned nearly 72 square miles (186 square kilometers) and remained 0% contained as of Monday.
Huntington Mayor Chuck Guerri said the fire intensified early Monday and advanced to within about 250 feet (76 meters) of the nearest home before firefighting crews slowed its progress.
“We did send the alarm and went around knocking on doors on the east end of town to try to get people out of here, because it was coming in pretty quick,” Guerri said. “But we had some good crews here, and they got it knocked down pretty quickly.”
Guerri said firefighters continue monitoring the grasslands surrounding the town to prevent the blaze from spreading into additional areas.
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Firefighters Work to Protect Transportation Infrastructure
Authorities said heavy smoke periodically reduced visibility enough to ground firefighting aircraft, forcing crews to rely primarily on ground operations.
Firefighters were constructing bulldozer containment lines near a railroad passing through Huntington in an effort to protect critical transportation infrastructure from the advancing fire.
Elsewhere in eastern Oregon, the Oregon Department of Transportation said a nearly 70-mile (113-kilometer) section of U.S. Route 20 between Burns and Vale also remained closed because of wildfire activity.
Wildfires Continue Across the West
The Fox Fire is one of dozens of wildfires burning across Oregon during a challenging fire season marked by prolonged dry weather, below-average snowpack in some areas, periods of extreme heat and shifting winds.
In central Oregon, the Akawa Butte Fire remained a high priority for firefighters because it is burning about 5 miles (8 kilometers) from the city of Sisters. Although officials reported reduced fire activity across much of the fire on Sunday, evacuation notices remain in place for parts of the surrounding area, advising residents to prepare to leave if conditions deteriorate.
The active wildfire season has affected much of the western United States. Federal authorities announced Saturday that a fourth firefighter had died from injuries sustained after he and fellow crew members were overtaken last month by a rapidly spreading wildfire near the Colorado-Utah border.
As fire crews continue working to contain multiple blazes, officials urged residents to monitor evacuation orders, road closures and weather conditions as hot, dry and windy weather continues to elevate wildfire risks across the region.
This report is based on reporting by The Associated Press.
