Fire crews are pushing into the interior of the Game Hog Creek Fire as they work to establish a 300 foot perimeter free of burning material, the Oregon Department of Forestry said on Wednesday.

100 years ago: Two Portland residents run afoul of game wardens in Gales Creek, it's blackberry season in Timber, and everyone is making hay while the sun shines and more. This week, the clips in this history column come from the July 14, 1921 edition of the Washington County News-Times.

A new design for Oregon salmon license plates will be available to vehicle owners September 1, 2021, with money from plate sales going toward salmon habitat and restoration efforts.

Over the weekend, crews were able to complete line construction into the Elk Creek drainage where the terrain is steepest, halting the spread of the wildfire, with the aid of two airplanes and a number of helicopters.

Two single engine air tankers are headed to Hagg Lake to begin scooping water to drop 800-gallon water drops on the cliffs surrounding Elk Creek after two of the three helicopters expected to fight the Game Hog Creek Fire were grounded by mechanical problems Saturday morning.

Game Hog Creek Fire Updates: - Fire grew to 133 acres - Two helicopters, with a third expected Saturday, now fighting fire - Cooler coastal air expected to help firefighting efforts today

100 years ago: A who's who tour of cattle farms in Banks, Gales Creek and Roy, a big dance at Balm Grove, and more. This week, the clips in this history column come from the July 7, 1921 edition of the Washington County News-Times.

Efforts to fight the Game Hog Creek Fire continued overnight, and the Oregon Department of Forestry continues to express confidence in halting the wildfire’s spread. “It held well overnight. We feel good about it,” said ODF Forest Grove District Forester Mike Cafferata. The fire has burned over 130 acres.

“Although the fire remains uncontained because fire lines are still being built, the fire’s spread was largely stopped at about 70 acres,” the Oregon Department of Forestry said Wednesday evening.

Game Hog Creek Fire updates for Wednesday afternoon: - The bulk of the fire "appears manageable" according to the ODF - Part of the fire cannot be fought due to steep terrain - Fire is between 70 and 100 acres in size

The Game Hog Creek Fire escaped fire lines Tuesday afternoon and is now growing in the Tillamook State Forest.

Take a look inside some of the newest additions, renovations, and improvements at the historic Gales Creek Cemetery.

100 years ago: Forest Grove mulls paving Gales Creek Road from their then-city limits to Thatcher Road, a rural community outside of Forest Grove at the time, a pioneer from the Banks area — his family name now graces the region's newest park at the Killin Wetlands — dies and more. This week, the clips in this history column come from the June 30, 1921 edition of the Washington County News-Times.

The Game Hog Creek Fire in the Tillamook State Forest continues to burn at around six acres. “We are working to find safe ways to complete mop-up,” wrote ODF Forest Grove District Forester Mike Cafferata in an email sent late Wednesday morning.

The Oregon Board of Forestry will meet virtually on Monday, July 12 to continue the search for Oregon’s next state forester, a process that will continue unimpeded after Senate Bill 868 failed to move forward before the legislative session ended in late June.

The state has largely reopened, but the Tillamook Forest Center will remain closed until at least September, citing staffing changes as a factor.

A small wildfire burning in the Tillamook State Forest is under investigation by authorities who believe it may have been caused by fireworks. Fire crews are mopping up the fire, according to the Oregon Department of Forestry.

The region to the west of Forest Grove entered fire season on June 22, which prohibits firework use in lands protected by the Oregon Department of Forestry. Fire danger is currently high. For Gales Creek, Glenwood and Hillside residents, find out if you can legally light fireworks on this ODF-created map.

"With record breaking weather and drought in 2021, we are urging people to not use fireworks this year. Please attend a public display, watch fireworks on television, or just celebrate with friends and family without fireworks," Forest Grove Fire & Rescue said in a statement.

Oregon’s risk level framework and the majority of masking, capacity, and social distancing measures were lifted Wednesday, June 30, doing away with the majority of the state’s mandatory precautions to fight the coronavirus.

Local and state officials are increasingly warning of significant fire danger ahead of the Independence Day weekend, and now Governor Kate Brown has taken the step of declaring a state of emergency for all of Oregon over wildfire danger.

100 years ago this month: St. Francis in Roy was dedicated, and Gales Creek swimmers were asked to stop swimming in the nude and more. This week, the clips in this history column come from the June 23, 1921 edition of the Washington County News-Times.

In Hillsboro, the closest official recording location for the National Weather Service, the all-time high since records began in 1929 is now 114 degrees, after breaking the original record of 108 degrees from July 21 2006 twice this weekend. The

Oregon’s junior senator will hold a virtual town hall for Washington County residents on June 29, a tradition for Sen. Jeff Merkley, though in non-pandemic years, the events are generally held in-person at a local gathering place.

The Oregon Legislature wrapped up Saturday, marking the end of an eventful session that included high profile legislation, a resignation and the first expulsion of a legislator in state history.

With record-breaking temperatures on the way this weekend, local health officials are urging Oregonians to take caution, and fire officials are urging people to not be the cause of a wildfire.

Oregon’s risk level framework and the majority of masking, capacity, and social distancing measures will be lifted no later than June 30, Oregon Governor Kate Brown announced in a press conference on Friday, June 25. They could be lifted earlier if 31,264 adults get their first shot.

In this column, we take a look back 100 years ago in western Washington County, pulling clips and stories from the annals of local newspapers and historic documents. This week, the clips come from the June 16, 1921 edition of the Washington County News-Times.

The Portland office of the National Weather Service issued an “Excessive Heat Watch” Wednesday morning for almost the whole state of Oregon, including the entirety of Washington County.

A county-wide burn ban went into effect Tuesday morning at 7 a.m., putting a halt to all backyard, agricultural, slash, and other debris burning. Temperatures are expected to rise into the upper 90s and low 100s beginning Saturday, and the local ODF fire season also started Tuesday morning.

Washington County residents who get their first shot of a coronavirus vaccine by June 27 just got a better chance at winning $10,000 — or a scholarship for those ages 12 - 17 — after Washington County announced a new set of prizes added to the “Take Your Shot, Oregon” campaign.

A Longview, Wash. chemical facility suffered a power outage earlier this month and as a result, chlorine supplies to municipal water suppliers in the Pacific Northwest are dwindling, including in Forest Grove's municipal water supply, which services residents and businesses in the city and many Gales Creek residents and businesses.

Recent rains were welcome, but “too little too late" to do more than delay fire season by a few days, ODF's Astoria District Forester Dan Goody said in noting the official start to fire season in NW Oregon, beginning June 22.

Ralph Brown was last seen on May 16, 2021 near his Cornelius home, where he reportedly left around 6:30 p.m. It’s been 30 days, and his whereabouts remain unknown.

In this column, we take a look back 100 years ago in western Washington County, pulling clips and stories from the annals of local newspapers and historic documents. This week, the clips come from the June 9, 1921 edition of the Washington County News-Times.

In a 59 - 1 vote, Rep. Mike Nearman (R-Independence) became the first House member expelled in state history for his role in the Dec. 21, 2020 breach of the Oregon Capitol on Thursday.

In this column, we take a look back 100 years ago in western Washington County, pulling clips and stories from the annals of local newspapers and historic documents. This week, the clips come from the June 2, 1921 edition of the Washington County News-Times.

On June 15 and 16, crews from Washington County Land Use and Transportation will be installing monument boxes — devices used by surveyors to mark key areas along roads — on Stringtown Road between Ihrig and Gales Creek roads. Expect lane closures between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m.

Oregon House Speaker Tina Kotek (D-Portland), officially removed Rep. Brad Witt (D-Clatskanie) from his role as chair of the Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee on Monday, in the latest development after Rep. Vikki Breese-Iverson (R-Prineville) filed a formal harassment complaint about text messages Witt sent in April.

Highway 6 was closed twice Tuesday morning to allow a helicopter to land to transport a tractor driver who was trapped overnight by his tractor, which rolled over sometime Monday evening.