Firefighters in central Oregon are racing against time as dangerous winds and dry conditions move into the region this weekend, threatening to intensify two of the state’s largest wildfires.
The Akawa Butte Fire, burning near the town of Sisters, has been named the nation’s top-priority wildfire because of how close it is to residential areas. This designation lets officials pull in firefighting resources from other states and even other countries. Governor Tina Kotek said crews have made some progress building containment lines, but the fire has already burned through 42 square miles and destroyed two homes since it started from a lightning strike on July 16.
Officials say the real danger begins now. A red-flag warning is in effect through Saturday, with forecasters predicting low humidity, high temperatures, and strong winds — a combination that can cause fires to explode in size within hours. Sisters Mayor Jennifer Letz said nearly half of the town’s 3,800 residents have been told to be ready to evacuate at a moment’s notice over the next two days.
“If we can get through this weekend, we will probably be in a good position moving forward,” Letz said, adding that the northern half of the city remains under a prepare-to-leave order.
More than 1,000 firefighters are currently battling the blaze, with reinforcements on the way. Officials described flames reaching 200 feet high and a smoke cloud so intense it generated its own lightning.
Meanwhile, the Rowe Creek Complex — now the largest fire in the state — has scorched over 300 square miles since igniting on July 15 and was about 30% contained as of Friday. A Forest Service operations chief said crews are shifting resources to the fire’s southern edge, where spot fires jumped containment lines and winds up to 20 mph threaten to push flames toward nearby homes.
Kotek called it an all-hands-on-deck situation, noting dozens of additional fires are burning statewide, straining every available firefighting resource.
