Oregon Faces Rare ‘Extremely Critical’ Risk For ‘Rapidly Spreading Fires,’ National Weather Service Says

TOPLINE

Parts of Oregon, including the state’s capital, are under an “extremely critical” fire risk, the National Weather Service said Sunday, as the area is set to experience historically rare weather conditions that are nearly perfect for new wildfire formation, as the West Coast continues to deal with ongoing destructive wildfires.

KEY FACTS

CRITICAL QUOTE

“Given these historic and threatening fire weather conditions, it is imperative to be EXTREMELY careful with fire leading up to and during this wind event, as any existing fires will very likely spread quickly once these strong winds set in,” the Portland, Oregon National Weather Service office said.

SURPRISING FACT

The upcoming weather pattern setup is extraordinarily rare, according to the National Weather Service, with an arctic air mass more typically seen in January moving toward the area. “The end result is an early September weather pattern that probably occurs in this magnitude only 2-4 times a century,” the National Weather Service said, adding, “this offshore wind event is literally off the charts for this time of year, and by many measures.”

KEY BACKGROUND

Wildfires have been particularly active in the West as of late, and some destructive fires are actively raging. In California, hundreds of people had to be airlifted to safety Saturday night after becoming trapped by flames in Fresno County. At least two people were “severely injured” Saturday in the Creek Fire in eastern Fresno County, which has a plume rising to 50,000 feet, making it visible to passing planes. In Oregon, evacuations have been called due to the Lionshead Fire, which grew drastically Sunday and now covers 16,000 acres.

FURTHER READING

Helicopters rescue 200 trapped by fast-moving Creek Fire in Sierra National Forest (San Francisco Chronicle)

Apple Fire Forces Thousands To Evacuate In Southern California, As Fires Rage Around State (Forbes)

Lionshead Fire now nearly 16,000 acres; wide area closures, evacuation alerts (KTVZ-TV)