A helicopter made an emergency landing at Hagg Lake after experiencing a mechanical failure on Wednesday, September 9. Photo: WCSO The Powerline Fire south of Hagg Lake is roughly 50% contained, according to the Gaston Rural Fire District. In a series of updates posted throughout the day on their Facebook[Read More…]
Chas Hundley
Tillamook State Forest closed to public use
The Gales Creek Overlook in the Tillamook State Forest. File photo: Chas Hundley//Gales Creek Journal The Tillamook State Forest is closed to the public, as are other forestlands protected by the agency in northwest Oregon due to extreme wildfire danger and limited firefighting resources. In an alert issued Wednesday afternoon,[Read More…]
Morning update: Fire stopped near Glenwood, stop calling 911 for smoke
A sign at the Gales Creek Fire Station noting “Extreme” fire danger on Wednesday, September 9, 2002. Photo: Chas Hundley As wildfires rage across Oregon for a third day, here are some quick updates. — Fire danger is still extreme, and a red flag warning remains in effect until 8[Read More…]
Fire burning south of Hagg Lake prompts evacuations
Smoke from the Powerline Fire drifts into more smoke from other Oregon wildfires. Photo: Chas Hundley The active fire burning south of Hagg Lake is largely uncontained, Forest Grove Fire and Rescue public information officer Matt Johnston said, speaking to members of the press at the parking lot of the[Read More…]
High winds beginning early afternoon on Monday drive fire danger up
The Oregon Department of Forestry stages a vehicle at the Gales Creek Fire Station on Tuesday, August 27 2019. Photo: Chas Hundley The Oregon Department of Forestry moved fire danger in the region from “High” to “Extreme” on Monday morning, bumped Industrial Fire Precaution Levels to 3 for the entire[Read More…]
Fires, traffic, COVID-19: Welcome to Labor Day weekend
A vehicle drives toward the coast near Gales Creek on Highway 6. Photo: Brenda Schaffer Traffic and fires and COVID, oh my. Those are some of the top concerns public officials from a number of government agencies locally and across the state are gearing up for this weekend as a[Read More…]
Hot weather prompts shift in precautions for logging in region
ODF offices in Forest Grove. Photo: Chas Hundley For those who work in the Tillamook State Forest and surrounding forests protected by the Oregon Department of Forestry, logging and other commercial activities will need to shift certain activities out of the hottest parts of the day as much of the[Read More…]
Is fiber coming to rural western Washington County? Perhaps, says Ziply
Ziply’s current broadband network in northwest Oregon. Blue is broadband, green is fiber. Photo courtesy Ziply website The rural portions of Washington County have always struggled to gain access to high speed internet, with some regions solely relying on satellite or microwave options, while others are on copper lines now[Read More…]
‘Worst fire danger of the year:’ ODF warns of hazardous conditions ahead of Labor Day weekend
The Oregon Department of Forestry stages a vehicle at the Gales Creek Fire Station on Tuesday, August 27 2019. Photo: Chas Hundley “We’re looking at our worst fire danger of the year,” said Oregon Department of Forestry Forest Grove District Forester Mike Cafferata in a phone call with the Gales[Read More…]
Washington County Sheriff will not send deputies to Portland demonstrations
Governor Kate Brown during a Monday, July 13 press conference. Screenshot from OHA Youtube stream A plan by Governor Kate Brown to address continued demonstrations and civil unrest in the wake of the killing of a demonstrator in Portland is showing cracks less than 24 hours after it was released[Read More…]
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