BAKER CITY, Ore. - A growing number of residents are being told to leave their homes as wildfires burn near Baker City.
Gov. Kate Brown invoked the Emergency Conflagration Act just before 3:30 a.m. Thursday to mobilize fire crews from across the state to protect the threatened structures.
Oregon Department of Forestry spokeswoman Jamie Knight says crews are on their way from Yamill, Clatsop and Columbia counties. Thursday evening, the Baker County Sheriff's Office added Black Mountain, Rancheria Creek and Denny Creek to the list of mandatory evacuations. The Old Auburn area is under a level 1 evacuation notice, which urges residents to be ready to evacuate if needed.
Evacuation orders were issued for Stices Gulch earlier in the day.
An area closure is also in effect on the Wallow Whitman Forest.
As of Thursday night, the Cornet Fire, burning four miles west of the Windy Ridge fire, had charred over 13,000 acres. There were no reports of structural damage.
The Windy Ridge Fire, which has burned approximately 15,000 acres, forced the closure of Interstate 84 between Pendleton and Ontario Thursday night.
The Bendire Complex Fire, 12 miles north of Juntura, is estimated to have burned 35,000 acres. Structures are currently threatened at Jenkins Ranch, near Bully Creek.
No word on evacuations in that area.
Five bulldozers, 30 engines, six water tenders and six hand crews are helping battle the blaze.
