56 homes burned in Rowena fire, containment operations continue

Firefighters continued to make progress Saturday night on containing and

mopping up the Rowena fire

in the Columbia River Gorge, according to the Oregon State Fire Marshal.

As of Sunday morning, the

fire had burned

56 homes and 91 other structures, including sheds, barns and shops, according to the Wasco County Sheriff’s office. No lives have been lost.

The fire has a 3,636 acre footprint between Mosier and The Dalles and is 10% contained. The fire marshal began a gradual demobilization Sunday, though several task forces are still actively engaged in patrolling the perimeter of the fire and identifying hotspots that could flare up in the warm, windy conditions expected on Sunday.

Overnight, crews prepped two areas on the fire’s southern flank that, weather permitting, will be back burned to strengthen the containment line there. Those operations could put off more smoke than has recently been visible, according to the fire marshal’s office.

Hazard tree removal remains a focus in areas around I-84 and Highway 30 to improve firefighter safety and allow residents to safely return to their homes.

Level 3 (go now) evacuation were still in effect Sunday morning from Rowena Ferry Road in the east, west to Highway 30, south to intersection of Mountain View Road and Seven Mile Hill Road, southeast the area north of Chenowith Creek Road and Browns Creek Road, northeast to the area north of Murray’s Addition and Foley Lakes.

Full evacuation notices are

available here.

The Rowena fire, believed to human-caused, started Wednesday afternoon in Wasco County and grew rapidly amid high winds and dry conditions, forcing hundreds to evacuate. Gov. Tina Kotek on Thursday invoked the Emergency Conflagration Act for the first time this fire season to bring in extra resources, a worrisome sign this early in what officials expect to be an active fire season.

—

Ted Sickinger

is a reporter on the investigations team. Reach him at 503-221-8505,

tsickinger@oregonian.com

or

@tedsickinger