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U.S. NEWS Wednesday 6 september 2017
Ash covers Oregon cities as smoke chokes US West

quoia trees on Labor Day.
Officials said the fire had
gone through about half
the grove but had not
killed any trees.
Giant sequoias are resilient
and can withstand low-
intensity fires. The blaze
burned brush and left
scorch marks on some big
trees that survived, said
Cheryl Chipman, a fire in-
formation officer.
Elsewhere in Northern Cali-
fornia, a fire destroyed
72 homes and forced the
evacuation of about 2,000
Cars turn around on Interstate 84 as a wildfire fire burns along the interstate near Weber Canyon, people from their houses.
Tuesday, Sept. 5, 2017, in Uintah County, Utah. At least one home went up in smoke and more The fire burned 14 square
than 1,000 people were evacuated as high winds fed the flames that started in a canyon north miles (36 square kilometers)
of Salt Lake City. in the community of Hele-
(Scott G Winterton/The Deseret News via AP) na about 150 miles (240 ki-
By GILLIAN FLACCUS for Oregon’s Department bol for many visitors. lometers) south of Oregon.
NICHOLAS GERANIOS of Transportation. Outside California’s Yo- In Washington state the
Associated Press “If it jumps the road, you’d semite National Park, a U.S. Department of De-
TROUTDALE, Ore. (AP) — A be driving through a wall wind-fueled fire made its fense has agreed to assign
growing Oregon wildfire of flame,” he said. “It’s way deeper into a grove 200 active-duty soldiers to
covered parts of Portland’s just not safe.”People in Or- of 2,700-year-old giant se- help fight a wildfire.q
metropolitan area Tues- egon covered their faces
day with ash and forced to shield themselves from
the shutdown of a lengthy the smoke and the ashes
stretch of highway through falling on them.“ You can’t
the state’s scenic Colum- really stand outside with-
bia River Gorge. out getting rained on” by
It was one of dozens of ash, said Joanna Fisher as
wildfires burning in western she walked to work at a
U.S. states that sent smoke Troutdale, Oregon natu-
into cities from Seattle ropathic clinic with Calla
to Denver — prompting Wanser, who was wearing
health warnings and can- a red bandana around her
cellations of outdoor ac- mouth to keep the ash out
tivities for children by many of her lungs.
school districts. Elsewhere, a fast-moving
The National Interagency wildfire in northern Utah
Fire Center in Boise, Idaho, swept down a canyon
a federal agency that co- Tuesday morning — de-
ordinates wildfire-fighting, stroying structures, forcing
said 80 large fires were evacuations and closing
burning on 2,200 square highways.
miles (5,700 square kilome- A least one home burned
ters) in nine Western states. and more than 1,000 peo-
The 16-square mile ple were evacuated as
(41-square kilometers) fire high winds fed the flames
east of Portland forced in the canyon north of
hundreds of home evacu- Salt Lake City. Thick black
ations. Embers from the fire smoke closed parts of two
drifted in the air across the highways as firefighters
Columbia River — spark- struggled to fight the blaze
ing blazes in neighboring fueled by winds gust at up
Washington state. to 40 mph.
The wildfire grew rapidly A fire in Montana’s Glacier
late Monday and over- National Park emptied its
night, giving authorities just busiest tourist spot as wind
minutes to warn residents gusts drove the flames to-
on the Oregon side of the ward the doorstep of an
river to leave their homes. iconic lodge.
A closure of one section of Lake McDonald Lodge, a
Interstate 84 because of 103-year-old Swiss chalet-
thick smoke and falling ash style hotel, sits on a lake as
was extended 50 miles (80 the famed Going-to-the-
kilometers) east of Portland Sun-Road begins its verti-
because flames reached go-inducing climb up the
the roadway, said Dave Continental Divide, making
Thompson, a spokesman it an endearing park sym-