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Firefighters battling the Oregon Flat Fire, which has so far torched nearly 22,000 acres, could face setbacks if the latest weather conditions shift, officials cautioned Monday.
The raging blaze, which is only 5% contained, has destroyed homes and buildings. Thousands of families have been forced to evacuate.
“The winds here can shift at any moment and that could change everything,” Jason Carr, public information officer for the Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office, told Fox News Digital.
About 4,000 homes are still under evacuation notice, including 1,000 families ordered to “go now.”
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Officials have since mapped 827 structures still at risk within the fire’s wide perimeter. Carr said crews were cautiously optimistic Monday afternoon after building new containment lines in the south Oregon area.
“The weather has cooperated, in the sense that we had a small disturbance come through which provided some cloud cover and raised the humidity levels,” he said.
“That has helped tamp down fire activity, but that could change at any moment if the winds shift or the sun comes back out,” he said.
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Despite modest progress, officials stressed the volatility of the blaze. Spot fires remain a constant threat, sparked when embers jump existing fire lines.
“They can create spot fires and smaller fires outside the perimeter that crews then have to attack,” Carr explained.
Governor Tina Kotek invoked the Emergency Conflagration Act on Friday, enabling additional state resources. Fire officials had confirmed no new evacuation orders as of Sunday evening, a sign the fire had not advanced into new neighborhoods. While containment remains minimal, authorities emphasized that hundreds of homes have been spared thanks to aggressive firefighting and residents’ proactive reduction efforts.
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“We are deeply saddened by the loss of homes and personal property. We are also encouraged that hundreds of homes have been protected thanks to aggressive firefighting efforts,” said Deschutes County Sheriff Ty Rupert.
Residents are under Level 1 (Be Ready), Level 2 (Be Set), and Level 3 (Go Now) evacuation levels.
A Red Cross shelter is also operating in Redmond, and the Jefferson County Fairgrounds is housing large animals.
With hot, dry weather forecast to return, officials said the next few days will be critical.
“We’re certainly hopeful we don’t end up in the situation we were in last week,” Carr warned.
“With triple-digit heat, 10% humidity and high winds, this really pushed the fire quickly.”
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