Commuters beware: the gates at Forest Grove’s edge near the Fern Hill Wetlands have gone up. More than 100,000 PGE are out of power, and trees and debris litter roadways throughout Gales Creek and beyond.
Weather
As ice storm bears down on region, Washington County opens shelters
Washington County said it would activate its Severe Weather Shelters in Hillsboro and Beaverton in the face of life-threatening cold temperatures expected to grip the region.
The facilities will each open Wednesday, December 21 at 4 p.m. until at least Saturday, December 24 at 12 p.m.
County opens two Severe Weather Shelters starting Friday
Washington County said it would activate its Severe Weather Shelters in Hillsboro and Beaverton in the face of cold temperatures gripping the region.
Burn ban lifted
A burn ban instituted county-wide over weather conditions that led to the escape of several burn piles was lifted Tuesday afternoon.
Burning banned in Washington County
The ban was enacted over increased wildfire risk after several burn piles escaped their bounds and sparked November wildfires, according to FGF&R. Burning will remain banned until weather conditions change.
Wildfire smoke expected to continue over weekend
Air quality in the region, already low due to wildfire smoke, is expected to continue over the weekend, the Portland office of the National Weather Service said.
PGE will shut power off in Gales Creek and surrounding areas beginning Friday morning
Power will be shut off in an effort to reduce wildfire risk in ten areas across PGE’s service territory starting Friday. In Gales Creek, power will be cut sometime between 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. Friday, and may be restored starting Saturday evening.
Weather, fire officials warn of extreme fire danger over weekend
“These conditions are the worst so far for 2022. Dangerous conditions will start Friday morning, peak Friday night, and remain on Saturday,” Oregon Department of Forestry officials said. A Fire Weather Watch begins Friday, and fire danger will rise to Extreme in the Tillamook Forest and surrounding areas Friday.
Fire danger moving to ‘high’ Tuesday morning
Restrictions in areas protected by the Oregon Department of Forestry in much of Northwest Oregon will increase again Tuesday in the face of increasing fire danger, moving from moderate to high fire danger.
Red Flag Warning issued for region as possibility of lightning looms
The Portland office of the National Weather Service issued a Red Flag Warning in effect until 6 a.m. Wednesday, saying that the possibility of lightning and wind gusts moving through the Willamette Valley could result in “numerous fire starts.”
