A major interstate highway in Oregon was closed for approximately 70 miles (113 kilometers) on Monday due to the Fox Fire, one of dozens of wildfires currently burning across the state. Interstate 84 (I-84), a crucial route connecting Portland to eastern Oregon and Idaho, was shut between Baker City and Ontario near the Idaho state line. The Oregon Department of Transportation confirmed the closure, though the highway reopened later in the day with intermittent closures still possible as the fire remains active.
The Fox Fire, burning near the Oregon-Idaho state line about 12 miles (19 kilometers) northeast of Huntington, has scorched nearly 72 square miles (186 square kilometers) and was 0% contained as of Monday. The town of Huntington, home to around 500 residents, was placed under a Level 3 'Go Now' evacuation order, instructing inhabitants to leave immediately. The fire was fueled by hot, dry, and breezy conditions.
Huntington Mayor Chuck Guerri reported that the fire flared up early Monday near the east side of town, coming within 250 feet (76 meters) of the nearest home before firefighters contained that portion of the blaze. The smoke was so thick that residents could taste it, according to Guerri, who said authorities went door-to-door to evacuate residents.
The Fox Fire is one of 47 reported wildfires across Oregon, with 10 classified as large wildfires and three remaining completely uncontained. The largest fire in Oregon, the Big Grass Fire near Malheur, has burned 280,000 acres along the Oregon-Idaho border. Wildfires are also active in Washington (32 fires), Idaho (15 fires), and California (27 fires), according to the Western Fire Chiefs Association. The National Interagency Fire Center reported that 42,379 fires have burned more than 4 million acres across the United States so far this year, with elevated fire activity in the Northwest.
Federal authorities announced that a fourth firefighter died of injuries sustained while battling a fast-moving wildfire near the Colorado-Utah border last month. The challenging wildfires this summer have been exacerbated by dry weather, record-low snowfall in some areas, heatwaves, and erratic winds.