Major Oregon Interstate Closed for 70 Miles Due to Wildfire
The closure came as dozens of Oregon wildfires spread under hot, dry and breezy conditions, with 47 reported fires statewide and three still uncontained.
- On Monday, the Oregon Department of Transportation closed a 70-mile stretch of I-84 between Baker City and Ontario due to the Fox Fire; officials announced the highway reopened that afternoon with one westbound lane open and intermittent closures still possible.
- Triggering evacuations for 500 residents in Huntington, the Fox Fire is one of 47 reported wildfires currently burning across Oregon, having scorched approximately 46,000 acres and remaining 0% contained as of Monday.
- State transportation officials also closed nearly 70 miles of U.S. Route 20 between Burns and Vale on Monday, with multiple local roads remaining shut and no available detours due to widespread wildfire activity.
- Firefighters are constructing bulldozer lines around Huntington to protect critical infrastructure while heavy smoke grounds aerial support, forcing ground-level tactics as conditions change with little notice.
- The National Interagency Fire Center reported 74 specialists from Australia and New Zealand arrived to provide 30 days of operational support as 42,379 fires have burned more than 4 million acres across the United States so far this year.
58 Articles
58 Articles
Major Interstate Shut Down as Oregon Wildfires Continue to Spread
Approximately 70 miles of Oregon’s crucial interstate connecting Portland to the state’s eastern reaches and neighboring Idaho was closed on July 27 due to one of the nearly two dozen wildfires blazing across the Pacific Northwest. The Oregon Department of Transportation said that 70 miles of Interstate 84 between Baker City and Ontario was closed to traffic due to the Fox Fire, which as of July 27 has spread approximately 46,000 acres in the ea…
Travel Through Eastern Oregon Remains Limited
ODOT reports approximately 30 miles of fire activity is burning at or near I-84 between Baker City and Ontario. As fire behavior changes, sections of the interstate may open or close with little notice. Travelers should check TripCheck.com before leaving and throughout their trip, as conditions can change rapidly. There are currently no east-west alternate routes available for interstate traffic. Sections of U.S. 20 and U.S. 26 east of the Casca…
Associated Press News
Major Oregon interstate closed for 70 miles due to wildfire
A major interstate in Oregon was closed for some 70 miles due to wildfire. According to the Oregon Department of Transportation, the Fox Fire forced the closure of Interstate 84 on Monday between Baker City and Ontario in eastern Oregon.
I-84 reopens from Baker City to Ontario but wildfire threat remains, ODOT says
Oregon’s Fox Fire shut down 70 miles of I-84 near the Idaho line and triggered a Level 3 "Go Now" evacuation for Huntington. The blaze is 0% contained, with smoke limiting aircraft and other highways also closed.
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