>>>
>>> THAT
>>> THAT DOES IT FOR US. LAURA IS HERE WITH KGW NEWS AT
5 PM.
5 PM.
5 PM. >>>
5 PM. >>> WELCOME TO KGW NEWS AT 5
PM.
PM.
PM. THE
PM. THE FIREFIGHT ACROSS OREGON
CONTINUES.
CONTINUES. WHILE SOME ARE ABLE TO RETURN
HOME.
HOME.
HOME. WE
HOME. WE LEARN TODAY AT LEAST 10
PEOPLE HAVE DIED.
AND MANY REMAIN MISSING.>>> OUR
COMMUNITIES ACROSS OREGON ARE
SUFFERING RIGHT NOW.
ADDITIONALLY THE SMOKE
BLANKETING THE STATE IS A
CONSTANT REMINDER THAT THIS
TRAGEDY HAS NOT YET COME TO AN
END.>>> DOZENS OF FIRES ARE
STILL BURNING IN OREGON.
SMOKE IS MADE AIR DANGEROUS TO
BREATHE FOR MOST OF THE STATE.
IN MUCH-NEEDED RAIN BUT ALSO
BRING NEW DANGERS.
WE BEGAN WITH THE BEACHY CREEK
FIRE BURNING MOSTLY IN MARION
COUNTY.
COUNTY.
COUNTY. THE FIRE HAS SCORCHED ALMOST
190,000 ACRES AND IS NOT AT ALL
CONTAIN.
CONTAIN.
CONTAIN. IT IS BURNING ABOUT A MILE AWAY
FROM THE RIVERSIDE BUYER IN
CLACKAMAS COUNTY.
CLACKAMAS COUNTY. LET'S GO TO MORGAN LIVE ALONG
HIGHWAY 22 AND MAHIMA WITH THE
ROAD IS BLOCKED OFF.>> Reporter:
BEHIND THIS BARRICADE SEVERAL
TOWNS REMAIN UNDER LEVEL III
EVACUATION ORDERS.
EVACUATION ORDERS. WHILE TENS OF THOUSANDS OF
PEOPLE ARE STILL UNDER SOME
FORM OF EVACUATION ORDER MARION
COUNTY DID REMOVE SEVERAL
CITIES FROM EVACUATION.
ONE LEVEL.
ONE LEVEL. DO NOTHING.
DO NOTHING. THAT INCLUDES STATE AND
SUBLIMINALLY AUMSVILLE MOUNT
ANGEL AND SILVERTON.
TALKED TO SEVERAL PEOPLE TODAY
WHO HAS EVACUATED AND LOST
EVERYTHING.
EVERYTHING. IN THIS DEVASTATING FIRE.
BUT STILL THEY MANAGED TO FIND
POSITIVES.>> Reporter: A
SANCTUARY OF A HOME ALONG THE
SANTIAM CANYON OVERLOOKING THE
RIVER.
RIVER.
RIVER. >>> THAT WAS OUR ROCK.
WHENEVER WE HAD A BAD DAY WE
HAD TO GO LOOK OVER OUR RIVER
AND TAKE A WALK IN THE WOODS.
WE ARE VERY ANXIOUS TO SEE WHAT
IS LOVE.>> Reporter: AFTER THE
BEACHY CREEK FIRE TOUR TO THE
KIRKS NEIGHBORHOOD LAST MONDAY
NOTHING IS LEFT.
THE PLOT OF LAND CHARRED.
>>> I SENT MY WIFE DOWN THE
MOUNTAIN AT 1 PM.
I TRIED AND TRIED TO PUSH
WATER.
WATER.
WATER. WE
WATER. WE LOST OUR WILL.
IT WAS ONE OF THE MOST HELPLESS
THINGS I COULD EVER FELT.
NOT BEING ABLE TO DO ANYTHING.
WE GOT THE PICTURES OF OUR
HOUSE GONE.
HOUSE GONE. EVEN MORE DEPRESSING.>>
Reporter: THEY HAD TIME TO PACK
A BAG AND THEIR TWO GERMAN
SHEPHERDS.
SHEPHERDS. >>> I THOUGHT WE WERE COMING
BACK.>> Reporter: AFTER
EVACUATING ELK HORN THEY WERE
ON THE RUN FROM FLAMES.
SEEKING A SAFE HAVEN IN ONE
PLACE ONLY TO HAVE TO LEAVE
AGAIN.
AGAIN.
AGAIN. >>> BRANDON WANTS TO SEE WHAT
IS LEFT WITH HIS OWN ICE.
>>> I'VE BEEN TRYING TO GET
HOME SINCE MONDAY TO SEE WHAT
HAPPENED TO OUR HOUSE IF WE
CAN.
CAN.
CAN. EVERYBODY KEEPS FINDING PEOPLE
THAT DIDN'T MAKE IT.
IT IS THE TOUGHEST PART.>>
Reporter: THEY ARE DOING SEARCH
AND RESCUE ALONG THE CANYON.
WITH HELP FROM A FEMA TEAM.
AS OF MONDAY ONE PERSON WAS
STILL REPORTED MISSING.
THE FIRE HAS TAKEN FOUR LIVES.
MORE THAN 500 PEOPLE FROM
AROUND THE NATION ARE ON THE
BEACHY CREEK FIRE.>>> THIS IS
THE WORST I'VE EVER SEEN
PERSONALLY.>> Reporter: FULL-
TIME AND VOLUNTEER FIREFIGHTERS
FROM AUMSVILLE.
FROM AUMSVILLE. >>> WE GOT THERE THERE WAS MORE
FIRE THAN ANYONE REALLY NEW.>>
Reporter: CHRIS FOUGHT THE FIRE
AND MUCH OF HIS FAMILY RAN FROM
FLAMES.
FLAMES.
FLAMES. >>> IT IS PRETTY HARD.
YOU ARE TRYING TO FOCUS ON THE
TASK AT HAND.
YOU KNOW SOMEONE ELSE OUT THERE
IS TAKING CARE OF THEM.>>
Reporter: CREWS WORKED TO BUILD
CONTAINMENT LINES WRONG THE
PERIMETER OF THE FIRE.
OTHERS MOP UP AND ASSESS
DAMAGE.
DAMAGE.
DAMAGE. >>> PUTTING OUT SPOT FIRES OR
ANYTHING STILL BURNING CLOSE TO
THE HOUSES.
THE HOUSES. TO TRY TO KEEP THEM FROM GOING
UP.>> Reporter: THE KIRKS AND
OREGONIANS ALL OVER THE SANTIAM
CANYON ARE SO THANKFUL FOR
THAT.
THAT.
THAT. >>>
THAT. >>> FIRST RESPONDERS IN MARION
COUNTY HAVE DONE AN EXCELLENT
JOB TO HELP OUT.
ALL WE CAN DO IS REBUILD AND GO
FROM THERE.
FROM THERE. >>> BECAUSE OF THE SMOKE
INVERSION WE'VE BEEN DEALING
WITH THE PAST WEEK IT HAS BEEN
IMPOSSIBLE INTO UNSAFE TO SEND
AREA RESOURCES ON THE FIRE.
THEY HAVEN'T HAD ANY OF YOUR
OPERATIONS.
OPERATIONS. WE SHOULD NOTE THE BEACHY CREEK
FIRE STARTED A MONTH AGO IN A
REMOTE AREA IN THE SANTIAM
CANYON WEST OF DETROIT.
BUT ONCE THE WINDS PICKED UP
EXACTLY A WEEK AGO TODAY IT
STARTED FLAT FANNING THE FLAMES
THROWING EMBERS LETTING THE
FLAMES GO UNCONTROLLED AND
SPARKING MORE FIRES.>>> OUR
HEARTS JUST BREAK FOR BRANDON
AND HIS FAMILY AND ALL OF THOSE
IMPACTED BY THE FIRES.
YOU COULD FEEL THE PAIN BY
LISTENING TO HIS VOICE.
>>> IN CLACKAMAS COUNTY NOW
FIRE CONDITIONS ARE IMPROVING.
EVACUATION LEVELS HAVE BEEN
REDUCED IN SOME AREAS.
ART EDWARDS IS IN MALALA WHERE
PEOPLE WERE ALLOWED TO RETURN
HOME.
HOME.
HOME. THAT HAS TO BE A BIG RELIEF FOR
THEM.>> Reporter: IT CERTAINLY
IS FOR A LOT OF PEOPLE IN
MALALA.
MALALA.
MALALA. PEOPLE ARE DOING THEIR BEST TO
GET THINGS BACK ON TRACK.
THEY ARE ABLE TO RETURN TO
THEIR HOMES AT LEAST MANY
PEOPLE ARE.
PEOPLE ARE. THIS IS A COMMUNITY THAT HAS
COME TOGETHER TO HELP EACH
OTHER.
OTHER.
OTHER. THE HUMBLE CAFI IS SERVING
THREE MEALS TO FIRST RESPONDERS
ANY ANYONE ELSE WHO NEEDS
SOMETHING TO EAT.
A LOT OF WHAT THEY ARE SERVING
HIS FOOD THAT HAS BEEN DONATED
TO THEM TO BE ABLE TO PREPARE.
PATRICIA STOPPED IN TO GET A
BREAK TODAY AND ALSO SOMETHING
TO EAT.
TO EAT.
TO EAT. THEY'VE ALSO DONATED MEAT AND
FRUIT FROM THEIR FARM TO THE
CAFI.
CAFI.
CAFI. >>>
CAFI. >>> IT GAVE US THAT OPPORTUNITY
TO DO EXACTLY WHAT YOU ARE
SAYING.
SAYING.
SAYING. JUST BE PART OF SOMETHING
BETTER AND GOOD.
>> Reporter: MANY PEOPLE CAN GO
HOME IN CLACKAMAS COUNTY.
THE THE ROAD THAT LEADS THE
ESTACADA IS CLOSED IN THE
EVACUATION ORDER IS IN PLACE
THERE AND OTHER AREAS.
PEOPLE WHO LIVE AROUND HERE SAY
THEY WILL BE DOING EVERYTHING
THEY CAN WORKING TOGETHER TO BE
ABLE TO RECOVER FROM THIS SOME
OF THE PEOPLE HERE GOING OUT ON
THEIR OWN TO HELP FIGHT THE
FIRES.
FIRES.
FIRES. >>> THANK YOU ART.
ART EDWARDS IN CLACKAMAS
COUNTY.
COUNTY.
COUNTY. LET'S BRING IN MATT.
WITH MORE ON THE WEATHER AND
WHEN WE MIGHT SEE THIS TERRIBLE
SMOKE CLEAR.
SMOKE CLEAR. A LOT OF PEOPLE WHAT THE SMOKE
TO BE GONE NOW.
IT MIGHT NOT HAPPEN THAT FAST.
YOU HAVE ENCOURAGING NEWS.
>>> WE HAVE TO HAVE PATIENCE
BECAUSE IT WON'T BE OVERNIGHT.
THE PROCESS HAS BEGUN.
YOUR QUALITY IS BEGINNING TO
IMPROVE A LITTLE BIT AND WILL
CONTINUE THE NEXT COUPLE DAYS
WITH A MAJOR STEP COMING AT THE
END OF THE WEEK.
TODAY FOURTH OR FIFTH DAY IN A
ROW PORTLAND LEADS THE LIST YOU
DON'T EVEN WANT TO BE ON.
OF THE WORLD'S WORST AIR
QUALITY.
QUALITY.
QUALITY. AT LAST CHECK OUR AIR QUALITY
INDEX WAS 341.
WE'VE BEEN NECK AND NECK WITH
VANCOUVER BC AT 261.
SEATTLE IS THIRD ON THE LIST.
THERE INDEX IS DROPPED DOWN TO
187.
187.
187. THAT
187. THAT IS BETTER HERE.
SAN FRANCISCO DROPPED ALL THE
WAY DOWN TO NUMBER SIX ON THE
LIST.
LIST.
LIST. WHICH AGAIN IS IMPROVEMENT.
ON THE MAP HOW THAT FOOTPRINT
OF THE RED AND MAGENTA HAS
SPREAD ALL ACROSS MONTANA EVEN
INTO THE DAKOTAS.
IN SOUTHERN CANADA AS OUR SMOKE
FROM THE WEST COAST FIRES HAS
BEEN SPREADING OUT.
A LITTLE BIT MORE GOOD NEWS FOR
YOU ANYWAY.
YOU ANYWAY. THIS IS THE LIST OF U.S.
CITIES.
CITIES.
CITIES. NOT THAT THAT THE ONE ON THE
RIGHT IS MAJOR CITIES IN THE
WORLD.
WORLD.
WORLD. IS
WORLD. IS THE U.S. CITY RANKING.
NUMBER ONE ON THE LIST IS HAPPY
CAMP CALIFORNIA.
CAMP CALIFORNIA. THE SMOKE WAS JUST STICKING IN
THOSE VALLEYS.
THOSE VALLEYS. MILL CITY IS NUMBER TWO.
SELMA IN SOUTHERN OREGON IS
NUMBER FOUR.
NUMBER FOUR. SWEET HOME IS NUMBER SIX.
WE ARE NO LONGER DOMINATING IN
OREGON THE TOP 10.
THE NORTHWEST CERTAINLY STILL
IS.
IS.
IS. I
IS. I WANT TO SHOW YOU DOPPLER
RADAR.
RADAR.
RADAR. THIS IS INTERESTING.
THIS IS SMOKE FROM ONE OF THE
FIRES HERE.
FIRES HERE. THE LIONS HEAD FIRE EAST OF
MOUNT JEFFERSON.
MOUNT JEFFERSON. LOOK AT THE PLUME GOING TO THE
NORTH AND NORTHEAST.
THAT IS A LITTLE BIT BETTER.
I CAN SHOW YOU THE PLUME FROM
THE BIG HOLLOW FIRE IN WESTERN
SKAMANIA COUNTY LOGGERHEAD AT
THE CLARK COUNTY.
MOVING TO THE NORTH AND
NORTHEAST.
NORTHEAST. AS FAR AS RAINFALL IT IS OFF
THE COAST.
THE COAST. WE DON'T HAVE A LOT OF IT
MOVING IN RIGHT NOW.
SPEAKING OF THE COAST WE SEE
SOME IMPROVEMENT.
SOME IMPROVEMENT. THE VISIBILITY AT CANNON BEACH
HAS PICKED UP.
IT HAS REALLY IMPROVED AT
NEWPORT.
NEWPORT.
NEWPORT. I CAN SEE CLOUDS NOT TO SMOKE.
WE HEADED IN THE RIGHT
DIRECTION.
DIRECTION. THE TIMING ON WHEN WE WILL
CLEAR THE AIR LATER.
>>> IT IS HELPFUL TO SEE EVEN A
LITTLE BLUE SKY RIGHT NOW.
>>> IN OUR AREA WAS BEAUTIFUL.
IT IS NOTHING BUT BURNT STICKS
RIGHT NOW.
RIGHT NOW. >>> THE TOWN OF BLUE RIVER IS
VIRTUALLY GONE.
VIRTUALLY GONE. AFTER THE HOLIDAY FARM FIRE
TORE THROUGH THE MacKENZIE
RIVER AREA.
RIVER AREA. FIRE CREWS WERE ABLE TO SAVE
ONLY A FEW STRUCTURES INCLUDING
THE MacKENZIE RIVER COMMUNITY
SCHOOL.
SCHOOL.
SCHOOL. >>> THE ENTIRE DOWNTOWN AREA IT
BURNED STRAIGHT THROUGH BLUE
RIVER.
RIVER.
RIVER. PRETTY MUCH FROM THE BLUE RIVER
PARK ALL THE WAY TO THE HIGHWAY
THERE IS NOTHING LEFT.
THERE IS ZERO.
THERE IS HOLES STANDING WHERE
SCIENCE USED TO BE.>>> THAT IS
UNBELIEVABLE TO LOOK AT.
MUCH OF THE AREA IS STILL UNDER
LEVEL III EVACUATION ORDERS.
SO PEOPLE HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO
RETURN TO EVEN SEE THE DAMAGE
WHICH WILL BE SO HEART
SICKENING FOR THEM TO SEE.
>>> HERE IS GOOD NEWS.
THE MOUNTAIN BALL PEAK FIRE
NEAR NEWBURGH IS FULLY
CONTAINED.
CONTAINED. SO WHILE IT'S IN FIRE AND
RESCUE SHARED THIS VIDEO OF
CREWS AND MOP UP MOLD THE PAST
FEW DAYS.
FEW DAYS.
FEW DAYS. ALL LEVEL III EVACUATIONS ARE