NORTHWEST
East Oregonian
Page 2A
Tuesday, September 5, 2017
Dozens of hikers rescued amid wildfires WEATHER: Chetco
Bar Fire is the state’s
largest at 142,857 acres
By CONRAD WILSON
Oregon Public Broadcasting
Cascade Locks remained
eerily
quiet
Monday
morning.
No gas. No food. Busi-
nesses along the main drag
were either closed or forced
to evacuate.
The perpetual scent of
fire, the sun’s rays muted by
smoke, and the occasional
drizzle of ash greeted visi-
tors to the town as the Eagle
Creek Fire continued to burn
about a mile away, threat-
ening hundreds of homes
and other structures.
As of Monday morning,
the human-caused wildfire
was about 3,200 acres,
according to the Oregon
Department of Forestry.
That marks a small increase
from what officials reported
Sunday.
“The crews were on it
all last night,” said Ashley
Lertora, a spokeswoman
with ODF. “We have a lot
of structure protection in
place.”
Among the firefighters
in that operation were seven
from Umatilla County
Fire District 1, four from
Boardman Rural Fire Protec-
tion District and crews from
Umatilla and La Grande’s
fire departments.
The smoke has mostly
prevented fire officials from
using air support, save for a
few times Sunday afternoon
when helicopters from the
Washington Department of
Natural Resource were able
to dump water on the fire.
By midday Monday,
planes could be seen drop-
ping water again.
On Sunday, Oregon Gov.
Kate Brown invoked the
Conflagration Act, which
allows the State Fire Marshal
to dispatch equipment and
firefighters from around the
state.
“We do expect a little bit
of growth today on the fire,
because of the extreme fire
danger weather that we have
going on right now,” Lertora
said.
The Eagle Creek Fire
started around 4 p.m.
Saturday
by
someone
misusing fireworks, Oregon
State
Police
confirm
Monday. Authorities said
they have identified a
suspect.
2016 — remains 4.8 inches
above average, thanks to an
exceptionally wet spring and
winter.
Conditions were similar
for August in Hermiston,
where just .05 inches of rain
fell during the entire month.
That’s about .15 inches
below average. In addition,
Hermiston saw eight days
of triple-digit heat, including
four straight days of record
highs from Aug. 9-12, when
each day registered 101
degrees.
Looking
ahead
to
September, the forecast does
not promise much in terms
of immediate relief. The
National Oceanic and Atmo-
spheric
Administration’s
Climate Prediction Center is
calling for more above-av-
erage temperatures and
near-average rainfall for the
region. Normal highs at the
Pendleton airport range from
83 degrees at the beginning
of September to 72 degrees
by month’s end, while the
30-year average for rainfall
is about .57 inches.
Temperatures
are
expected to reach 96 degrees
Tuesday and 97 degrees
Wednesday, before cooling
down to around 90 degrees
Thursday.
Smoky skies have also
returned to Eastern Oregon
as wildfires continue to swell
across the West. Ann Adams,
assistant
meteorologist
with the National Weather
Service, said the haze is
blowing in from all different
directions.
“It’s coming from all
over,” Adams said. “We’re
surrounded.”
Along the Columbia
River Gorge, firefighters
are scrambling to protect
the town of Cascade Locks
after 3,200-acre fire erupted
Saturday near Eagle Creek.
Officials say the blaze was
likely started by fireworks in
Mark Graves/The Oregonian via AP
Families reunite after campers were evacuated from a forest fire in the Eagle Creek
area of the Columbia River Gorge Sunday, Sept. 3, 2017. Two busloads of hikers
in Oregon were reunited with their friends and family Sunday morning after they
were forced to spend the night in the mountains east of Portland when a wildfire
closed their trail and they were trapped between two blazes.
of Portland and surrounding
areas, is under a Level 1,
or “get ready,” evacuation
notice.
Casey Bennett said he
watched the flames Sunday
night pour down the ridge of
the gorge, like flowing lava.
“We already decided if
we lose power, we’re loading
our cars,” Bennett said. “If
it hits the freeway, which
is at the end of my street,
we’re going to load up and
leave. We’ve got a bunch of
dogs and cats and ducks, so
I’ll have to put ducks in the
trunk of my car.”
Long distance hikers
were also affected by the fire.
Ben Connelly, from
Maine, and Jess Dustow,
from Sydney, Australia,
began hiking the Pacific
Crest Trail four months ago,
starting on the U.S.-Mexico
border.
Connelly said the fires in
Oregon have prevented them
from hiking about half the
trail in Oregon.
“I’d say we probably
skipped somewhere in the
200-mile range because of
fires,” Connelly said.
“Logistically, it’s been
really tough,” Dustow adds.
“Some of us didn’t budget
for this either, having to hop
off trails and stay in hotels.”
———
The East Oregonian
contributed to this report.
Mark Graves/The Oregonian via AP
Fire burns in the Eagle Creek area of Columbia River
Gorge, Saturday.
The fire forced 153 hikers
along the popular Eagle
Creek hiking trail to spend
Saturday night huddled
together in the woods.
All were safely evacuated
Sunday.
While Interstate 84
remains open, Lertora said
the Oregon Department of
Transportation has a plan to
close the highway, should
the smoke get worse.
An eerie stillness in town
As Monday morning
wore on, the holiday
weekend traffic in Cascade
Locks picked up.
But as visitors stopped
through, they found little
open, on what is typically
a busy weekend for this
economically
depressed
Columbia River Gorge
community.
Rudy, who declined to
give his last name, runs Joe
Fish. He’s with the Yakama
Nation. They sell smoked
fish, salmon and steelhead.
“This is normally the
biggest day of the season for
us, we tend to make the most
money this weekend,” Rudy
said. “Town’s deserted. It
wouldn’t be right for us to
sell. We don’t want to put
people in danger.”
Understandably, the fire
is causing anxiety for nearby
residents. As of Monday
morning, 283 homes and
other structures and 15 busi-
nesses on the south side of
Cascade Locks were under
mandatory evacuation. The
Bonneville Dam, which
provides power to the City
Didn’t receive your paper? Call 1-800-522-0255
before noon Tuesday through Friday
or before 10 a.m. Saturday
for same-day redelivery
— Founded Oct. 16, 1875 —
211 S.E. Byers Ave., Pendleton 541-276-2211
333 E. Main St., Hermiston 541-567-6211
Office hours: Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Closed major holidays
SUBSCRIPTION RATES
Local home delivery Savings off cover price
EZPay
$14.50
41 percent
52 weeks
$173.67
41 percent
26 weeks
$91.86
38 percent
13 weeks
$47.77
36 percent
*EZ Pay = one-year rate with a monthly credit or debit card/check charge
www.eastoregonian.com
To subscribe, call 1-800-522-0255
or go online to www.eastoregonian.com
and click on ‘Subscribe’
East Oregonian (USPS 164-980) is published daily except Sunday, Monday
and Dec. 25, by the EO Media Group, 211 S.E. Byers Ave. Pendleton, OR 97801.
Periodicals postage paid at Pendleton, OR. Postmaster: send address changes to
East Oregonian, 211 S.E. Byers Ave. Pendleton, OR 97801.
Corrections
The East Oregonian works hard to be accurate and
sincerely regrets any errors. If you notice a mistake in the
paper, please call 541-966-0818.
Classified & Legal Advertising
1-800-962-2819 or 541-278-2678
classifieds@eastoregonian.com or legals@eastoregonian.com
ADVERTISING
Advertising Director: Marissa Williams
541-278-2669 • addirector@eastoregonian.com
Advertising Services: Laura Jensen
541-966-0806 • ljensen@eastoregonian.com
Multimedia Consultants:
• Kimberly Macias
541-278-2683 • kmacias@eastoregonian.com
• Jeanne Jewett
541-564-4531 • jjewett@eastoregonian.com
• Dayle Stinson
541-278-2670 • dstinson@eastoregonian.com
• Angela Treadwell
541-966-0827 • atreadwell@eastoregonian.com
• Audra Workman
541-564-4538 • aworkman@eastoregonian.com
Subscriber services:
For home delivery, vacation stops or delivery concerns: 1-800-522-0255
Single copy price:
$1 Tuesday through Friday, $1.50 Saturday
NEWS
• To submit news tips and press releases: • call 541-966-0818 •
fax 541-276-8314 • email news@eastoregonian.com
• To submit community events, calendar items and Your EO News:
email community@eastoregonian.com or call Tammy Malgesini at
541-564-4539 or Renee Struthers at 541-966-0818.
• To submit engagements, weddings and anniversaries:
email rstruthers@eastoregonian.com or visit www.eastoregonian.
com/community/announcements
• To submit a Letter to the Editor: mail to Managing Editor Daniel
Wattenburger, 211 S.E. Byers Ave. Pendleton, OR 97801 or email
editor@eastoregonian.com.
• To submit sports or outdoors information or tips:
541-966-0838 • sports@eastoregonian.com
COMMERCIAL PRINTING
Production Manager: Mike Jensen
541-215-0824 • mjensen@eastoregonian.com
Copyright © 2017, EO Media Group
REGIONAL CITIES
Forecast
TODAY
WEDNESDAY
Very hot
Mostly sunny and
very hot
96° 63°
98° 67°
THURSDAY
A t-storm in spots
in the p.m.
FRIDAY
Mostly sunny, a
t-storm in spots
91° 67°
84° 63°
Mostly sunny and
nice
82° 55°
HERMISTON TEMPERATURE FORECAST
100° 67°
PENDLETON
through 3 p.m. yesterday
TEMPERATURE
HIGH
LOW
91°
82°
100° (1934)
63°
53°
32° (1892)
PRECIPITATION
24 hours ending 3 p.m.
Month to date
Normal month to date
Year to date
Last year to date
Normal year to date
0.00"
0.00"
0.06"
11.37"
7.36"
8.44"
HERMISTON
through 3 p.m. yesterday
TEMPERATURE
Yesterday
Normals
Records
HIGH
LOW
90°
83°
102° (1934)
56°
52°
38° (1929)
PRECIPITATION
24 hours ending 3 p.m.
Month to date
Normal month to date
Year to date
Last year to date
Normal year to date
0.00"
0.00"
0.04"
6.65"
5.04"
6.16"
SUN AND MOON
Sunrise today
Sunset tonight
Moonrise today
Moonset today
Full
Last
Sep 5
Sep 12
New
Sep 19
88° 64°
85° 55°
Seattle
93/65
ALMANAC
Yesterday
Normals
Records
93° 68°
6:21 a.m.
7:25 p.m.
7:24 p.m.
5:33 a.m.
First
Sep 27
Today
SATURDAY
PENDLETON TEMPERATURE FORECAST
98° 58°
the popular recreation area.
Closer to home, the
Boulder Creek fire on the
Wallowa-Whitman National
Forest has consumed at least
four acres, eight miles north-
west of Halfway near the
Summit Point fire lookout
tower. The fire was sparked
Aug. 31 by lightning, and
prompted the closure of
Forest Road 7715, Trail 1885
and the McBride Camp-
ground, where firefighters
have set up camp.
Other large fires burning
in Oregon include:
• Chetco Bar Fire —
Oregon’s largest blaze at
142,857 acres. Located five
miles northeast of Brookings,
the fire started July 12 and is
just 10 percent contained.
• Umpqua North Complex
— Consists of 15 fires totaling
28,344 acres on the Umpqua
National Forest, about 50
miles east of Roseburg. All
together, the complex is 23
percent contained.
• Miller Complex —
Located 17 miles east of
Cave Junction, the complex
now spans 17,965 acres and
is 35 percent contained.
Air quality was listed
Monday
morning
as
moderate for Pendleton and
La Grande, and unhealthy
farther down the Columbia
River Gorge in The Dalles.
The
National
Weather
Service and Oregon Depart-
ment of Environmental
Quality will discuss Tuesday
whether to implement an air
quality alert in Umatilla and
Morrow counties. DEQ was
closed Monday for Labor
Day.
An air quality alert is
in effect through noon
Wednesday for most of
southeast and south central
Washington, including the
Tri-Cities, Walla Walla,
Yakima and Goldendale.
———
Contact George Plaven
at gplaven@eastoregonian.
com or 541-966-0825.
Continued from 1A
Spokane
Wenatchee
91/62
92/68
Tacoma
Moses
93/58
Lake
Pullman
Aberdeen Olympia
Yakima 97/62
95/58
85/60
93/57
98/61
Longview
Kennewick Walla Walla
96/62
97/67 Lewiston
97/57
Astoria
99/64
77/57
Portland
Enterprise
Hermiston
98/66
Pendleton 96/57
The Dalles 98/58
96/63
100/63
La Grande
Salem
96/54
98/63
Albany
Corvallis 94/60
93/59
John Day
101/62
Ontario
Eugene
Bend
98/58
90/59
95/58
Caldwell
Burns
97/59
99/52
Astoria
Baker City
Bend
Brookings
Burns
Enterprise
Eugene
Heppner
Hermiston
John Day
Klamath Falls
La Grande
Meacham
Medford
Newport
North Bend
Ontario
Pasco
Pendleton
Portland
Redmond
Salem
Spokane
Ukiah
Vancouver
Walla Walla
Yakima
Hi
77
98
95
72
99
96
90
93
98
101
95
96
95
99
68
70
98
98
96
98
97
98
91
97
98
97
98
Lo
57
52
58
61
52
57
59
61
58
62
54
54
50
66
57
58
58
57
63
66
52
63
62
55
64
67
61
W
pc
pc
pc
pc
s
pc
pc
pc
pc
pc
pc
pc
pc
pc
pc
pc
pc
pc
pc
pc
pc
pc
pc
pc
pc
pc
pc
NATIONAL WEATHER TODAY
Wed.
Hi
72
100
91
69
98
97
84
96
100
101
84
98
97
91
68
70
99
98
98
86
93
86
96
97
85
98
100
Lo
57
54
58
59
54
58
58
66
67
62
52
54
52
62
55
56
61
58
67
65
54
62
65
55
65
70
63
W
s
s
pc
pc
s
pc
pc
s
pc
s
pc
s
s
pc
s
pc
s
pc
s
s
pc
s
pc
s
s
pc
pc
WORLD CITIES
Today
Beijing
Hong Kong
Jerusalem
London
Mexico City
Moscow
Paris
Rome
Seoul
Sydney
Tokyo
Hi
87
89
87
68
71
54
72
79
80
66
82
Lo
63
79
68
52
58
50
55
60
65
51
72
W
c
c
s
pc
t
r
pc
s
pc
s
c
Wed.
Hi
89
92
83
65
70
62
66
79
75
66
80
Lo
61
80
64
51
57
52
54
66
65
51
72
W
s
pc
s
pc
t
sh
c
pc
r
s
r
WINDS
Medford
99/66
(in mph)
Klamath Falls
95/54
Boardman
Pendleton
REGIONAL FORECAST
Eastern and Central Oregon: Hazy sunshine
and very hot today.
Western Washington: Hazy sunshine today;
smoky. Mainly clear tonight, except mostly
cloudy at the coast.
Eastern Washington: Hazy sun today;
smoke from area fi res will lead to poor air
quality.
Cascades: Hot and smoky today with hazy
sun. Partly cloudy tonight.
Northern California: Some sun today; hot
in central parts.
Wednesday
NNW 4-8
NW 6-12
UV INDEX TODAY
Shown is today’s weather. Temperatures are today’s highs and tonight’s lows.
Coastal Oregon: Hazy sun today; cooler in
the south.
Today
NNE 4-8
NNW 6-12
1
3
5
5
3
1
8 a.m. 10 a.m. Noon 2 p.m. 4 p.m. 6 p.m.
0-2, Low
3-5, Moderate 6-7, High;
8-10, Very High;
11+, Extreme
The higher the AccuWeather.com UV Index™ num-
ber, the greater the need for eye and skin protection.
Forecasts and graphics provided by
AccuWeather, Inc. ©2017
Shown are noon positions of weather systems and precipitation. Temperature bands are highs for the day.
-10s
-0s
showers t-storms
0s
10s
rain
20s
flurries
30s
40s
snow
ice
50s
60s
cold front
70s
80s
90s
100s
warm front stationary front
110s
high
low
National Summary: Rain and storms will erupt along a push of fall-like air from Maine to
Tennessee and Texas today. Showers will cool the Great Lakes, as storms dot Florida and the
Southwest. Heat will persist in the West.
Yesterday’s National Extremes: (for the 48 contiguous states)
High 106° in Lemoore, Calif.
Low 30° in Walden, Colo.
NATIONAL CITIES
Today
Albuquerque
Atlanta
Atlantic City
Baltimore
Billings
Birmingham
Boise
Boston
Charleston, SC
Charleston, WV
Chicago
Cleveland
Dallas
Denver
Detroit
El Paso
Fairbanks
Fargo
Honolulu
Houston
Indianapolis
Jacksonville
Kansas City
Las Vegas
Little Rock
Los Angeles
Hi
88
86
83
86
76
85
98
85
89
74
70
75
94
75
72
93
62
67
86
92
76
89
74
104
83
84
Lo
62
66
70
65
47
63
65
66
74
55
49
54
67
50
50
67
52
42
71
73
51
73
49
81
60
68
W
pc
pc
s
pc
s
t
pc
s
t
r
pc
sh
pc
pc
pc
s
r
pc
pc
pc
pc
t
pc
pc
t
pc
Wed.
Hi
88
74
74
68
82
77
98
72
88
71
66
69
85
82
67
91
66
68
87
86
68
87
71
100
77
84
Lo
63
56
61
56
52
54
67
62
68
51
51
52
62
54
50
65
44
47
74
63
51
71
49
79
55
66
W
pc
t
r
r
s
sh
s
r
t
c
pc
pc
s
s
pc
s
r
pc
pc
pc
pc
t
s
pc
s
pc
Today
Hi
Louisville
77
Memphis
80
Miami
91
Milwaukee
69
Minneapolis
64
Nashville
78
New Orleans
89
New York City
86
Oklahoma City
80
Omaha
72
Philadelphia
88
Phoenix
108
Portland, ME
78
Providence
83
Raleigh
89
Rapid City
70
Reno
98
Sacramento
90
St. Louis
77
Salt Lake City
96
San Diego
80
San Francisco
78
Seattle
93
Tucson
100
Washington, DC 87
Wichita
76
Lo
55
60
80
49
50
56
74
66
55
47
66
83
60
67
68
41
66
66
53
67
71
65
65
73
66
50
W
c
t
t
pc
pc
t
t
pc
pc
pc
pc
pc
pc
s
s
s
pc
pc
pc
s
pc
pc
pc
t
pc
pc
Wed.
Hi
71
76
92
65
66
75
84
70
79
71
70
107
68
75
79
76
88
86
71
96
80
77
85
103
70
78
Lo
51
54
79
52
51
52
68
60
54
48
61
83
57
62
58
46
59
63
51
69
69
65
62
74
60
51
Weather (W): s-sunny, pc-partly cloudy, c-cloudy, sh-showers, t-thunderstorms, r-rain,
sf-snow flurries, sn-snow, i-ice.
W
pc
pc
t
pc
pc
pc
t
r
s
s
r
pc
r
r
t
s
pc
s
s
s
pc
pc
pc
pc
r
s