Wildfires Force Evacuations and Closure of State Parks in Northern Oregon

The Oregon Parks and Recreation Department closed parks and imposed new fire restrictions due to the situation.
wildfires burned
across northern Oregon
on Thursday.

Park authorities closed Mayer State Park and the Rowena Crest Viewpoint because of the
Rowena fire
Burning in the Columbia River Gorge, officials also evacuated Cottonwood Canyon State Park due to the Ferry fire raging approximately 42 miles away towards Wasco.

By Thursday evening, the Rowena fire was underway.
had expanded to 3,500 acres
While the Ferry Fire remained at 5,000 acres, both blazes began close to cherished locations within the state parks.

Stefanie Knowlton, a spokesperson for state parks, mentioned that visitors have still been arriving at the parks with the intention of watching the fires, even though they are closed.

“They may believe it’s innocent, but it really places both them and the firefighters at risk,” she stated.

Certain parks are well-known in their own regard.
Rowena Crest Viewpoint
is famous for its stunning displays of wildflowers across expansive vistas of the Columbia River, attracting large crowds each spring. The state park property is next to
the Tom McCall Nature Reserve
, which is overseen by the nonprofit organization The Nature Conservancy.

Mayer State Park
Just east of Rowena Crest lies an area favored by windsurfers, along with boaters and swimmers. Additionally, Mayer State Park has implemented a new restriction prohibiting campfires and open flames starting Thursday. This prohibition extends to nearby Viento, Starvation Creek, and Memaloose state parks. Although Memaloose had closed earlier because of the Rowena fire, it reopened on Thursday.

Cottonwood Canyon State Park
A popular yet seldom-visited location within the high desert hills surrounding the John Day River was evacuated and shut down for visitors on Wednesday as the Ferry Fire started advancing towards the park’s visitor center and campground. Authorities from the state park service did not provide any new information about the park’s condition.

The Gilliam County Sheriff’s Office reported on Thursday that the fire had closed Oregon Route 206 between Condon and Wasco, prompting local inhabitants to face a Level 2 (“get ready”) evacuation notice. Additionally, the sheriff’s office mentioned that personnel from the electric utility were de-energizing sections of the power network in the vicinity.

Visitors to an Oregon state park during wildfire season can look up the current operational status of the park via the internet.
stateparks.oregon.gov
, where park authorities maintain an ongoing list of current park alerts.

“That list has significantly expanded today and will keep growing,” Knowlton stated.