Emergency act declared in Oregon due to Miller Road fire

Since it started on the afternoon of Aug. 2, the Miller Road fire has burned more than 10,000 acres in Wasco County, according to local reports.

Gov. Kate Brown invoked the state’s Emergency Conflagration Act, while the Wasco County Sheriff issued Level 2 and Level 3 evacuation orders of homes near the fire.

In addition, the McKinney fire, Potter fire and Windigo fire continue to threaten the region.

According to the Oregon Office of State Fire Marshall incident information blog, crews battling the Miller Road fire completed their first 24-hour work cycle on Aug. 4. The crews worked to create containment lines and were supported by air operations, said the latest blog post.

An evacuation shelter for those affected by the Miller Road fire has been set up at Dufur High School.

FMCSA relief for wildfires

As part of the Oregon order, effective until Aug. 31, relief from FMCSA regulations are in place. Drivers operating under this emergency order are not required to carry a copy of the waiver.

The declaration determines that the threat to life, safety and property exceeds the firefighting capabilities of local personnel.

“With many fires actively burning across the state and several weeks of peak fire season ahead of us, I am urging all Oregonians to be prepared and do their part to prevent wildfires – just one spark can light a fire that will quickly spread,” the governor said in a news release. “Please continue to follow local and statewide fire prevention regulations and share what you know with others.”

Road conditions and closures can be checked at Oregon Department of Transportation’s Trip Check website.

Oregon maintains a Wildfire Recovery & Response webpage, which reports 49 active fires and 13,762 acres burned. LL

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