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Amid rapid growth of the Hagen fire, burning more than 5,000 acres east of Pendleton, Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek invoked the Emergency Conflagration Act, freeing up additional resources to fight the flames raging in northeastern Oregon amid searing temperatures.
It’s the sixth time the governor has invoked the emergency act this year, as the Hagen fire forces evacuations in Umatilla County zones 1406015A, 1406016B, 1406016C, 1406017A, 1406017B, 1406053A, 1406053B and 1406053C.
“We are facing not only challenging fire conditions but also low resource availability across the country,” State Fire Marshal Mariana Ruiz-Temple said Tuesday in a news release. “It is important now more than ever that Oregonians are wildfire aware and take actions like signing up for emergency alerts and preventing any new fires.”
Evacuation orders are also in place on the Umatilla Indian Reservation, where local authorities are working with tribal leadership to enforce them.
Nearby, the Horse Ridge and Nine Mile fires continue to burn, along with the North Cayuse fire, which remains active despite being largely contained after burning about 4,000 acres.
Air quality alerts are in effect for the Pendleton and La Grande areas, with the Air Quality Index in Pendleton reaching 178 out of 500 on Tuesday afternoon, a level considered unhealthy.
An AQI reading of 0-50 is considered “good,” while 51-100 is “moderate.” Numbers exceeding 100 are considered unhealthy for sensitive groups, with 150 being unhealthy for the general population.
Triple-digit temperatures in the area forecasted for Tuesday and Wednesday are likely to worsen fire conditions, officials warn, while impeding firefighting efforts.
An evacuation shelter has been established at Blue Mountain Community College in Pendleton for residents displaced by the fires. Power remains out for about 50 customers east of Pendleton after Pacific Power turned off lines to prevent additional fires.
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