Breaking News on Western Wildfires


U.S. The latest wildlife trends in the West (all time local)

6:45 p.m.

Chico, California. – Search and rescue workers found three more bodies in the wreckage of a wildfire in Northern California, bringing the death toll from the fire to 12 and the state’s recent blaze that killed 22 people.

Butt County Sheriff Corey Hona announced the additional deaths Saturday, but gave no details. He said 13 people are unaccounted for.

On Tuesday night, a wildfire in Barry Creek and Feather Falls in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada northeast of San Francisco destroyed the small town of Barry Creek and other mountain communities in the shadow of a 2018 forest fire, killing 85 people.

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6 p.m.

Portland, Ore. – A sheriff in Reagan said officials responded to reports that armed men in rural areas were setting up road blocks amid rising tensions over forest fires and seeking identification.

Mike Reese, the Sheriff of Multnomah County, Reagan’s most populous county, said Saturday that deputies told people that such activity was illegal and that the road was open. Reese sad officers have raised additional patrols.

“The sheriff’s office will not tolerate any kind of illegal activity, including civilian road blocks,” Reese said.

Officials earlier this week denied rumors that fascist activists were setting fire to anti-Reagan.

4:30 p.m.

Berry Creek, California. – Search and rescuers have found a puppy amid property debris destroyed by a devastating wildfire in California this year.

The Buttie County Sheriff’s Office said a small village in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada, northeast of San Francisco, was covered with a puppy suit when parts of a metal engine appeared on a large property in Barry Creek when it was hidden Friday.

Puppies were taken to the veterinary office for treatment of minor burns.

Officers later learned that the property owner had several dogs and could not catch them all before fleeing the fast-moving flames.

A spokeswoman for the sheriff’s office, Megan McMan, says deputies have temporarily named the puppy Trooper until he can be reunited with his family.

Nine people, including a 16-year-old boy, have since been confirmed dead after a fire caused by lightning that started weeks ago merged into a monster that devastated the city. The search continued for 19 people who remained unaccounted for.

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3 p.m.

Salem, ore. – The Oregon Fire Marshal has resigned after being put on leave amid an investigation by employees.

Oregon State Police placed Fire Marshal Jim Waker on leave Friday night and he resigned Saturday.

In a news release on Saturday, state Superintendent of Police Travis Hampton said only that a change of leadership was needed to address the “unprecedented crisis” posed by wildfires.

Wal-Wal did not immediately return a Facebook message seeking comment from the Associated Press.

Mariana Ruiz-Temple, Chief Deputy State Fire Marshal, has been named to take her place.

In a written statement Saturday, Gov. Kate Brown said Ruiz-Temple has “led with grace, transparency and courage” and that it “includes the experience Oregon needs to face this crisis.”

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2:40 p.m.

Lyon, Orr. – A hero of the movement to save the aging forests in the Northwest is missing in one of the many wildfires raging in Oregon.

Reg Reganion / reg ReganLive reports that 72-year-old George Atieh has not been seen since his home was set on fire at Beachki Creek near Lyon, southeast of Salem, last week. His daughter, Aniz Mitchell, posted on Facebook on Friday night that the family was reporting him missing.

Etihe was a U.S. citizen in the 1980’s. The Forest Service fought to stop the deforestation of the area around Opal Creek, an ancient area in the Willamette National Forest known for its ancient trees, including the 270-foot tall Douglas fir believed to be 1000 years old. Aged. Federal laws protecting the area were passed in 1996.

The Pal Pal Creek area was hit by the same fire that devastated Etih’s home, but the extent of the damage is still unknown because it is inaccessible.

Her daughter said she last spoke to him Monday night, and he decided to stay because he didn’t believe she was in danger. She said search parties are looking for her.

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2 p.m.

Sacramento, California. – A California woman killed in a state wildfire was known as an animal lover who often rescued stray dogs and cats.

Officials confirmed Friday that 77-year-old Millicent Cater ran Nakuik died near his home in Barry Creek, California. Caterinquick’s nephew, Ziggy Row-Zurz, said she loved animals and had four dogs and several cats on her five-acre property in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada, northeast of San Francisco.

Zurz said Keternquick was “sharp as a whip” and preferred to play freecell, saying he could win the game in about 80 seconds.

A fire at a northern complex in northern California has killed at least nine people, officials say. Zurz said his mother Suzanne Violet Zurz and his uncle Phil Rubel also lived on the property and are missing.

Holly Caterinquick, daughter of Millicent Caterran Nukuik, said her mom had lived in Barry Creek for about eight years. He said his mother was very happy and the property was a “safe haven” for the family.

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This item has been updated to correct the name: it’s Susan Violet Zurz, not Susan Zurz.

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1 p.m.

Oregon City, Or. – Reg A sheriff’s deputy in Reagan has been put on leave, following a video in which he suggested that left-wing activists “cause hell” in organizing wildfires – a claim made public by the FBI.

Klamas Kamas County Sheriff Craig Roberts said he put the deputy on leave as soon as the video was reported, in which the deputy referred to “Antifa” and said people’s lives and property were in danger because “these individuals received little revenge.”

The FBI and other law enforcement agencies in the Northwest say they have investigated such reports and found them to be false.

The deputy’s identity was not immediately released.

The sheriff said he would be on leave pending an investigation into making inappropriate comments and violating the policy.

Officials say that by exposing conspiracy theories and misinformation, local fire and police agencies are stealing valuable resources to fight fires and save lives.

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12:05 p.m.

WASHINGTON – The White House announced Saturday that President Donald Trump will visit California on Monday to brief on the devastating wildfires along the west coast.

More than 20 people have been killed in wind-blown blazes in California, Oregon and Washington. Officials in Oregon alone say 1,500 square miles (3,880 square kilometers) have been burned in recent days, more than double the size of a normal year and larger than Rhode Island.

Democratic governors of all three states have said Blaze’s destruction and speed are unprecedented and have blamed climate change for making the situation worse.

Government of Washington. Jay Insley called the blaze a “climate fire” rather than a wildfire.

“This is not an act of God,” Insley said. “It’s because we’ve changed the climate.”

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11:55 a.m.

SAN FRANCISCO – Favorable weather conditions helped more than 16,000 firefighters fighting 28 major wildfires in California on Saturday. Contentment increased on all fires as some quickly reached the full fire. However, the far northern part of the state on Sunday warned of high fire hazards due to gale force winds.

The California Department of Forests and Fire Prevention says wildfires have burned more than 30 million acres in California since the beginning of the year, killing 19 people and destroying more than 4,000 structures.

Nine people, including a 16-year-old boy, have been confirmed dead in a fire caused by lightning after a small berry creek in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada in northeastern San Francisco merged into a mass-destroying monster. Concerns were raised that the death toll could rise as crews reach the destroyed areas. The Butt County Sheriff’s Office said 19 people were unaccounted for.

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10:30 p.m.

Lions, or. – Reg Firefighters in Reagan reported reports of fires on two blazes on opposite sides of the state, as temperatures soared and wind conditions eased relief earlier in the week.

Officials on Saturday morning reported that the Almeida Fire in South Reg Reagan, near the California state line, contained 50% and had barely increased overnight. About 700 buildings were destroyed by that glitter.

In northern Oregon, crews were able to establish locations to limit the spread of a very large beach creek fire in Klamas Kamas County, south of Portland. They also said that good weather overnight has limited Blaze’s growth. There is still no estimate of damage caused by the fire as crews continue to shape the situation.

Officials say more than 1,500 square miles (3,880 square kilometers) have been burned in reg Reagan in recent days, more than double the size of a normal year and larger than Rhode Island.

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10:30 p.m.

Salem, ore. – Amid devastating wildfires, Oregon’s state firefighters have been put on administrative leave.

State Superintendent of Police Travis Hampton announced in a news release on Saturday that an “unprecedented crisis” called for an immediate response – and that a change of leadership was needed.

Fire Marshal Jim Waker was put on leave and replaced by Mary Ruiz-Temple, Chief Deputy State Fire Marshal, on a performance basis.

Vaker Kare has served as a fire marshal since 2014.

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9:30 am

Salem, ore. – Oregon officials urge employers to shut down or delay outdoor work, including construction and harvesting, to reduce the area from fire smoke.

In the Pacific Northwest, California, Washington, D.C., Washington and Ging Reagan have been hit by sudden fires that have turned some of the world’s unwanted winds.

Reg Reagan’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration and the Reg Reagan Health Authority say employers must take reasonable steps to protect workers when air quality becomes unhealthy. This may include stopping outdoor work, letting workers with internal health conditions stay at home, and providing N95 masks, as many workers wear masks to protect against COVID, which does not protect against smoke particles.

“During this extremely challenging and evolving crisis, we urge employers, especially those with outdoor operations – to take all reasonable and necessary precautions and measures to ensure the safety of their employees,” Reagan OSHA Administrator Michael Wood said in a news release.