>>
>> IT'S
>> IT'S HORRIFYING. IT IS JUST SO SAD.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT ELSE TO SAY.
IT'S UNBELIEVABLE.
IT'S UNBELIEVABLE. >> RESIDENTS IN THE GORGE LEFT
TO WATCH AND WORRY AS CREWS GET
A HANDLE ON A GROWING WILDFIRE
NEAR THE DALLES.
>> THIS IS
LIVE
LIVE LOOK
LIVE LOOK FROM SKY 8 OF THE SUBSTATION FIRE, WHICH HAS
BURNED 36,000 ACRES, OR 56
SQUARE MILES MOVING 18 MILES IN
JUST 8 HOURS.
TODAY, CREWS SAY THINGS HAVE
SLOWED
SLOWED DOWN A BIT BUT THEY SAY THE FLAMES COULD PICK UP AGAIN
AT ANY TIME.
>> THE FIRE HAS FORCED
EVACUATIONS SOUTHEAST OF THE
DALLES AND HAS SPREAD INTO
SHERMAN COUNTY NEAR THE
DESCHUTES RIVER.
DESCHUTES RIVER. AT LEAST THREE STRUCTURES HAVE
BURNED INCLUDING AN HISTORIC
HOME WE HAVE BEEN COVERING.
>> WE HAVE LIVE TEAM COVERAGE
OF THE FIRE AND ITS IMPACT ON
THE COMMUNITIES BEGINNING WITH
KGW NEWS'S PAT DOORIS, OUT ON A
GRAVEL ROAD NEAR THE
WHEATFIELDS TO GIVE US A VIEW
OF THE FRONT LINES.
>>
>> Reporter: IT'S IMPRESSIVE. YOU CAN SEE THE FIRE FRONT HAS
KIND OF SPLIT.
THAT IS THE NORTH.
YOU CAN SEE KIND OF THE BIG
PLUME THERE, AND SOME MORE
DISTINCT COLUMNS.
DISTINCT COLUMNS. AS WE COME TO THE SOUTH, YOU
WILL SEE THERE IS ANOTHER PLUME
OVER HERE THAT HAS BEEN STRONG
ENOUGH, IT'S BLOCKING OUT THE
SUN FOR THE LAST HOUR OR SO.
IT'S THE SORT OF DAY WHERE THE
FARMERS IN THIS HEAT AND WIND
HAVE LITERALLY BEEN OUT ON THE
FRONT
DOING
DOING WHAT THEY CAN TO STOP THE FIRE.
FIRE.
FIRE. FROM SKY 8, YOU GET THE BEST
VIEW OF THE SUBSTATION FIRE.
THE FRONT IS SO BIG, IT'S
IMPOSSIBLE FOR CREWS TO COVER
IT ALSO FARMERS IN SHERMAN
COUNTY HAVE MOBILIZED WITH
TRACTORS, BULLDOZERS, AND
ESPECIALLY LARGE DISK MACHINES
TO CUT THE FIRE LINES.
LOGAN PADGETT IS A LOCAL FARMER
AND MEMBER OF THE OREGON FARM
HE
HE CAME
HE CAME OFF THE FRONT LINES BRIEFLY TO GIVE SOME INSIGHT
INTO WHAT THE FARMERS ARE
THINKING OUT THERE.
>> IT COULD GET KIND OF CRAZY
TODAY.
TODAY.
TODAY. THE WIND IS SUPPOSED TO PICK UP
THIS AFTERNOON.
THIS AFTERNOON. IT'S HOT AND DRY.
THE
THE WHEAT
THE WHEAT IS FULLY RIPE AND PRIME TO BERM.
--
>>
>> Reporter: SHERMAN COUNTY DOESN'T HAVE THAT MANY PEOPLE.
ONLY ABOUT 1700, BUT WHEN
SOMETHING LIKE THIS HAPPENS,
EVERYONE PITCHES IN AND
EVERYONE FEELS THE LOSS WHEN
THE WHEATFIELDS BURN.
>> WE HAVE TO SAVE UP WATER FOR
TWO YEARS TO RAISE ONE CROP
BECAUSE OF THE LOW RAINFALL SO
YOU HAVE TWO YEARS WORTH OF
WORK AND IT ALL COMES DOWN TO
ABOUT TWO WEEKS OF HARVESTING
FOR MOST OF US.
SOME
SOME OF
SOME OF THESE GUYS HAVE WORKED FOR TWO YOUR -- TWO YEARS AND
THEY ARE SEEING ALL THAT WORK
GO UP IN SMOKE RIGHT NOW
INSTEAD OF REAPING THE BENEFITS.
>> Reporter: FIRE BUSES POINTED
OUT THERE IS SOME REASON FOR
OPTIMISM.
OPTIMISM.
OPTIMISM. >> IT'S BURNING WHEATFIELDS,
AND THE SCRUB GRASS THAT YOU
SEE AROUND HERE, AND IN SOME OF
THIS STUFF, IT'S JUST REALLY
LIGHT FUEL.
LIGHT FUEL. IT BURNS QUICKLY AND HOT VERSUS
A TIMBER FIRE.
THIS STUFF WILL BURN HOT AND
FAST RIGHT AWAY, BUT COOLS
FAST.
FAST.
FAST. >>
IN
IN GRASS
IN GRASS VALLEY, POPULATION 160, THE POWER WAS OUT TODAY.
PART OF THE FIRE'S IMPACT.
EVERYONE HERE IS UNDER A LEVEL
II EVACUATION NOTICE.
MARSHA BENSON HAS THEIR BAGS
PACKED AND A TRAILER HITCHED TO
HER TRUCK.
HER TRUCK. HER HUSBAND IS AMONG THE MANY
ON THE FIRE LINES WHO TOLD HER
NOT TO WORRY, BUT SHE'S READY
JUST IN CASE.
>> WE WILL GO AHEAD AND LOAD SO
MY DAUGHTER CAN DRIVE ONE RIG
AND I CAN DRIVE THE OTHER.
IT SHOULDN'T TAKE US MORE THAN
10 MINUTES.
>>
>> Reporter: A LOT OF PEOPLE ON EDGE.
EDGE.
EDGE. LOOKING FROM SKY EIGHT, YOU CAN
SEE ONE OF THE -- SKY 8, YOU
CAN SEE ONE OF THE FRONT EDGES,
AND THERE ARE A NUMBER OF
PROFESSIONAL FIRE CREWS FROM
PORTLAND AND CORBETT, AND
ELSEWHERE TRYING THEIR BEST TO
COORDINATE THIS FIRE BUT IT'S
GOING TO TAKE A LOT LESS WIND
TO GET THIS THING TO KNOCK IT
OFF.
OFF.
OFF. BACK
OFF. BACK TO YOU.
>>
>> THE
>> THE FIRE MOVING SO FAST, CREWS ARE HAVING TROUBLE
KEEPING TRACK OF THE DAMAGE.
SOCIAL MEDIA BROUGHT THIS TO
LIGHT.
LIGHT.
LIGHT. THE HISTORIC CHARLES E NELSON
HOME IS GONE.
THE DALLES CHRONICLE REPORTING
IT BURNED TO THE GROUND.
MAGGIE VESPA CONTINUES OUR TEAM
COVERAGE LIVE FROM DUFUR.
REPORTS ARE POPPING UP LEFT AND
RIGHT OF DAMAGE.
>>
>> Reporter: THEY DEFINITELY ARE AND FIREFIGHTERS SAID IN
THAT NEWS CONFERENCE, THEY WERE
HAVING TROUBLE KEEPING TRACK OF
THOSE REPORTS.
THOSE REPORTS. WHEN YOU SEE THE SIZE OF THE
PLUME OF SMOKE LIKE THIS, IT'S
EASY TO UNDERSTAND WHY AGAIN
THEY ARE HAVING TROUBLE KEEPING
TALLY OF THE DAMAGE.
YOU CAN ALSO SEE THE LAND THAT
HAS BURNED HERE IN THE
FOREGROUND.
FOREGROUND. WE CAME TO THIS AREA IN DUFUR
BECAUSE OF THE REPORT ON SOCIAL
MEDIA, AND WE FOUND ANOTHER
HOUSE DESTROYED.
STEPS
STEPS OF
STEPS OF THIS HOME ARE STILL BURNING THIS AFTERNOON.
THE FOUNDATION, BARON
SMOLDERING.
SMOLDERING. THIS HOUSE SITS ON ROBERT'S
MARKET ROAD.
MARKET ROAD. NO ONE WAS AROUND WHEN WE
ARRIVED.
ARRIVED.
ARRIVED. AMONG THE CHARRED REMAINS, A
MAILBOX AND A SWING
FROM
FROM THE
FROM THE HILLTOP NEARBY, GIANT, WIDESPREAD PLUMES OF SMOKE
FORM, MORPH AND DISSIPATE BY
THE MINUTE.
THE MINUTE. THE WIND IS INTENSE AND
UNRELENTING.
UNRELENTING. SPOTTED THROUGH THIS BARBED
WIRE FENCE, FLAMES ON THE
>>
>> WE
>> WE HAVE HEALTH SERVICES, EMOTIONAL SUPPORT AVAILABLE.
>> Reporter: AT THE DALLES
MIDDLE SCHOOL, ONE EVACUEE EATS
LUNCH PROVIDED BY THE AMERICAN
RED CROSS.
RED CROSS. MARK McNABB CAME FROM MORROW.
HE HAS MOBILITY AND RESPIRATORY
ISSUES, SO HE LEFT UNDER A
LEVEL II EVACUATION WORRIED --
EVACUATION
HE
HE KNOWS
HE KNOWS OTHERS HAVE ALREADY LOST THEIR HOMES.
>> YOU CAN'T HELP IT.
YOU FEEL SORRY FOR THE PEOPLE
WHO LOST THEIR HOUSES AND
BUILDINGS, AND IT DISRUPTS YOUR
LIFE, BUT THAT'S PART OF LIVING
OUT IN THE COUNTRY.
>>
>> Reporter: AND TO HIS POINT, THIS IS AN EERIE
WITH
WITH THE
WITH THE FARM AND THE DISTANCE. AS YOU PULL THE CAMERA BACK YOU
CAN SEE HOW CLOSE THE FIRE LINE
IS TO THE FARM, AND HOW CLOSE
ALL OF THE SMOKE IS TO IT, AS
WELL BUT AS FAR AS WE CAN TELL,
THOSE STRUCTURES REMAIN
UNTOUCHED.
UNTOUCHED. IT'S THE LUCK OF THE DRAW OUT
HERE, AND AGAIN THERE IS NO
OFFICIAL COUNT AT THIS POINT OF
HOW MANY HAVE BEEN EVACUATED OR
HOW MANY HOMES OR BUILDINGS
HAVE BEEN DESTROYED OR DAMAGED
BECAUSE FIREFIGHTERS RIGHT NOW
ARE TOO BUSY TRYING TO GET A
HANDLE ON THIS.
>>
>> MAGGIE
>> MAGGIE VESPA IN DUFUR FOR US.
US.
US. CHIEF
US. CHIEF METEOROLOGIST MATT
ZAFFINO IS NOW TRACKING THE
CONDITIONS OUT IN THE GORGE.
>>>
>>> THE
>>> THE WINDS HAVE BEEN RELENTLESS SINCE YESTERDAY.
THEY WILL NOT RELENT FOR A
COUPLE DAYS.
COUPLE DAYS. THIS IS IN THE DALLES, LOOKING
SOUTHEAST.
SOUTHEAST. YOU CAN SEE THE SMOKE PLUME
EVEN THOUGH THE FIRE HAS MOVED
QUITE FAR FROM WHERE IT BEGAN.
91 DEGREES.
91 DEGREES. WINDS SUSTAINED AT 18 MILES PER
HOUR.
HOUR.
HOUR. THAT MAY NOT SOUND STRONG, BUT
AN 18 MILE-PER-HOUR WIND IS
CERTAINLY STRONG ENOUGH TO PUSH
THE FLAMES OF A FIRE.
JUST SINCE NOON, 33 MILES PER
HOUR, AND 2:00 LAST HOUR, 32
MILES PER HOUR.
IT'S BASICALLY BEEN DUSTING ALL
MORNING RIGHT INTO THE
TONIGHT,
TONIGHT, IT WILL BE WINDY. I HATE TO SAY IT BUT THAT'S THE
TRUTH.
TRUTH.
TRUTH. 15
TRUTH. 15 TO 30 MILES PER HOUR ON
THOSE WINDS AT THE FIRE
EXTENDING NOT JUST FROM THE
DALLES BUT THROUGH SHERMAN
TOMORROW,
TOMORROW, STILL BREEZY WITH WINDS UP TO 25 MILES PER HOUR,
SO THAT'S THURSDAY.
FRIDAY IS WINDY AND SATURDAY
WILL PROBABLY BE LATE SATURDAY
AND SUNDAY WHEN THE WEST SIDE
OF THE STATE HEATS UP.
ALSO, VERY HOT.
TEMPERATURES IN THE 90s AND
VERY LOW HUMIDITY.
WE CAN SEE THE BURN ITSELF AND
WE WILL SHARE THAT WITH YOU IN
A LITTLE BIT.
>>>
>>> WE
>>> WE WANT TO TAKE A LOOK AT THE VIEW FROM SKY 8 AS WE
CONTINUE TO WATCH WHAT'S
HAPPENING OUT THERE IN TERMS OF
THE FIRE.
THIS
THIS SHOT
THIS SHOT BREAKING UP JUST A LITTLE BIT BUT WE'RE TOLD THERE
WAS A FIRE BURNING HERE IN THIS
PICTURE, AND YOU KNOW WHAT WE
HAVE BEEN TALKING ABOUT IN THE
DALLES AREA.
DALLES AREA. >> OUR SIGNAL IS GOING IN AND
OUT, BUT SKY8 IS LOOKING
EASTBOUND.
EASTBOUND. YOU CAN SEE A LOT OF THE DAMAGE
DONE,
DONE, AND
DONE, AND YOU CAN SEE SOME OUTBUILDINGS THEIR KIND OF
CHARRED FROM THE FIRE.
VISIBILITY ABOUT ZERO.
THAT FIRE MOVING QUICKLY AND
HAS SLOWED A BIT BUT IS STILL
EXPECTED TO PICK UP.
YOU
YOU CAN
YOU CAN SEE HOW FAST THAT FIRE WAS MOVING OVER THE HILL, AND A
COUPLE OF THOSE OUTBUILDINGS
APPEAR TO BE SAVED, BUT OTHERS
NOT SO LUCKY.
>> SKY 8 GETS A SENSE OF THAT
SHOT WHEN THEY PAN OUT, OF JUST