June 18, 2025
ROWENA, Ore. – Firefighters have made significant progress this week, steadily increasing containment on the Rowena Fire each day. Now one week since the fire began, the crews’ tireless efforts are paying off. The southern edge of the fire has up to 150 feet of cold, black line, with other parts of the fire up to 100 feet deep.
Overnight, firefighters continued to patrol for hot spots and mark areas of concern for the incoming day shift. Today, crews will resume detailed grid searches across the fire zone to locate and address any remaining trouble spots. Crews will also continue suppression repair where needed around the fire.
As the situation improves, more crews are being demobilized and are either returning to their home districts or being reassigned to other fires in need of support.
Level 1 and 2 evacuations remain in place. Check the latest perimeter map for up-to-date evacuation information.
The Red Cross shelter remains open at The Dalles Middle School at 1100 East 12th Street. Livestock and horses can be taken to the Wasco County Fairgrounds at 81849 Fairgrounds Road.
I-84 remains open; however firefighters are continuing to work near the roadway; be aware of crews when driving through the area.
Temporary Flight Restriction (TFR): A “TFR” is in place at an altitude from the surface up to and including 6500 feet, daily (24 hours) until further notice. Complete information is available at https://tfr.faa.gov/tfr3/?page=detail_5_2600. Flying a drone near or around a wildfire compromises the safety of pilots and interferes with firefighting efforts.
June 17, 2025
ROWENA, Ore. – The Rowena Fire is becoming more secure with each passing day as firefighters from the Oregon Department of Forestry worked strategically around the fire perimeter extinguishing hot embers near the edge of the fire. The containment increased to 37% due to efficient firefighting by our air and ground resources. The southeast side of the fire experienced strong gusty winds this afternoon, forcing firefighters to pause felling operations of hazard trees due to increased safety concerns. They will continue falling efforts tomorrow morning when winds are lighter.
Level 3 evacuations on the fire were lifted today at 12:00 pm by the Wasco County Sheriff’s Office allowing landowners the opportunity to return home and assess the condition of their property. Level 1 and 2 evacuation levels remain in effect in the fire area
The Red Cross shelter remains open at The Dalles Middle School at 1100 East 12th Street. Livestock and horses can be taken to the Wasco County Fairgrounds at 81849 Fairgrounds Road.
I-84 remains open, however firefighters are continuing to work near the roadway; be aware of crews when driving through the area.
Closures: Due to the fires, Mayer State Park is closed to the public. More information is available here: https://stateparks.oregon.gov/index.cfm?do=park.profile&parkId=117
Temporary Flight Restriction (TFR): A “TFR” is in place at an altitude from the surface up to and including 6500 feet, daily (24 hours) until further notice. Complete information is available at https://tfr.faa.gov/tfr3/?page=detail_5_2600. Flying a drone near or around a wildfire compromises the safety of pilots and interferes with firefighting efforts.
This will be the final evening update unless conditions change.
June 16, 2025
ROWENA, Ore. – Last night, firefighters continued to strengthen the fire line using sophisticated handheld infrared devices to search for buried heat below the surface. Today, firefighters will mop up identified hot spots and continue to build depth around the fire perimeter utilizing engines and hand crews. Today’s weather will be slightly cooler, but winds will increase with gusts reaching the mid 40 mph range.
With the threat to structures diminishing, the OSFM Green Team is demobilizing this morning ending the unified command with the Oregon Department of Forestry’s IMT2. Oregon Department of Forestry’s work continues as IMT2 took sole command of the fire at 6:00 am this morning. Two OSFM task forces and three overhead personnel will remain for ongoing structural mitigation. We’d like to thank OSFM and the Oregon Fire Service for their immediate response to the Rowena Fire, and the continued partnership with Federal, State, and local agencies. The relationships that are built and maintained keep the unified command model a success when responding to Oregon’s emergency situations.
Level 1, 2 and 3 evacuations remain in effect under the Wasco County Sheriff’s Office’s direction. You can search for specific addresses here: https://perimetermap.com/wascocounty-or
The Red Cross shelter remains open at The Dalles Middle School at 1100 East 12th Street. Livestock and horses can be taken to the Wasco County Fairgrounds at 81849 Fairgrounds Road.
I-84 remains open, however firefighters are continuing to work near the roadway; be aware of crews when driving through the area.
Closures: Due to the fires, Mayer State Park is closed to the public. More information is available here: https://stateparks.oregon.gov/index.cfm?do=park.profile&parkId=117
Temporary Flight Restriction (TFR): A “TFR” is in place at an altitude from the surface up to and including 6500 feet, daily (24 hours) until further notice. Complete information is available at https://tfr.faa.gov/tfr3/?page=detail_5_2600. Flying a drone near or around a wildfire compromises the safety of pilots and interferes with firefighting efforts.
June 16, 2025
ROWENA, Ore. – Today, conditions aligned favorably for firefighters to successfully carry out a strategic firing operation in the southwestern area of the fire. Crews burned the remaining “green” fuel located between the fire’s edge and the control lines to reduce the risk of reignition and strengthen containment efforts. At the end of shift today the fire will be completely lined with handline and control line. Tonight, firefighting crews will continue patrolling fire lines and conducting mop-up operations around the fire area.
Infrared cameras will be used overnight to detect hotspots that may not be visible to the naked eye. These areas will be marked so crews on the day shift can fully extinguish them tomorrow.
In coordination with Mid-Columbia Fire & Rescue and the Wasco County Sheriff’s Office Emergency Management, team members from the Oregon State Fire Marshal (OSFM) have completed a comprehensive assessment of the fire-affected area. The assessment resulted in identifying a total of 56 residential structures and 91 additional structures—including sheds, barns, and shops— being confirmed lost in this devastating incident.
Today, OSFM resources have begun a gradual demobilization as containment and mitigation work continues around affected residences. Unified Command with the Oregon Department of Forestry’s (ODF) Incident Management Team will cease at 6:00 am tomorrow leaving the ODF fire team in sole control of the incident.
Level 1, 2 and 3 evacuations remain in effect under the Wasco County Sheriff’s Office’s direction. You can search for specific addresses here: https://perimetermap.com/wascocounty-or
The Red Cross shelter remains open at The Dalles Middle School at 1100 East 12th Street. Livestock and horses can be taken to the Wasco County Fairgrounds at 81849 Fairgrounds Road.
I-84 remains open, however firefighters are continuing to work near the roadway; be aware of crews when driving through the area.
Closures: Due to the fires, Mayer State Park is closed to the public. More information is available here: https://stateparks.oregon.gov/index.cfm?do=park.profile&parkId=117
Temporary Flight Restriction (TFR): A “TFR” is in place at an altitude from the surface up to and including 6500 feet, daily (24 hours) until further notice. Complete information is available at https://tfr.faa.gov/tfr3/?page=detail_5_2600. Flying a drone near or around a wildfire compromises the safety of pilots and interferes with firefighting efforts.
June 14, 2025
ROWENA, Ore. – Incident priorities remain unchanged today as firefighters continue making steady progress on the Rowena Fire.
Despite sustained winds reaching up to 30 mph overnight, crews had a productive shift. Night operations focused on prepping line along the west and southwest portions of the fire, while patrol and mop-up continued in the southern areas. Fire activity flared up in the northern interior but was successfully extinguished and contained.
Today, crews will continue patrolling and mopping up along the perimeter, while line construction resumes in the southwest to clean up remaining edges. Removing hazard trees remains a top priority, especially along Highway 30 and I-84, where steep terrain and swirling winds pose safety concerns.
Structural resources remain engaged as the Oregon State Fire Marshal begins adjusting its response in line with the decreasing threat to homes.
“As the scope and scale of the fire decrease, we’re adjusting our resources to ensure our workforce continues to align with OSFM’s mission of structural protection. We’re incredibly grateful for the dedication of our crews and look forward to seeing them return home safely to rest and prepare for what’s ahead,”
– Kelly Zakrzewski, Chief of Operations, OSFM
Crews will continue mop-up operations and tactical patrols around previously threatened structures. OSFM will maintain a presence until there is full confidence that the threat to structures has been mitigated.
Winds remain a key factor today. While slightly lighter than yesterday, breezy conditions persist with west-northwest winds ranging from 8–20 mph and gusts up to 33 mph on ridges and upper slopes. Highs are expected in the upper 70s.
“Tomorrow will be the least windy day of the week, but we trade that for even warmer temperatures and lower relative humidities,” – Tom Schuldt, Incident Meteorologist
The drop in wind speeds today will improve helicopter support, allowing for more precise water drops on hotspots within the fire perimeter.
Level 1, 2 and 3 evacuations remain in effect under the Wasco County Sheriff’s Office’s direction. You can search for specific addresses here: https://perimetermap.com/wascocounty-or
The Red Cross shelter remains open at The Dalles Middle School at 1100 East 12th Street. Livestock and horses can be taken to the Wasco County Fairgrounds at 81849 Fairgrounds Road.
I-84 remains open, however firefighters are continuing to work near the roadway; be aware of crews when driving through the area.
Closures: Due to the fires, Mayer State Park is closed to the public. More information is available here: https://stateparks.oregon.gov/index.cfm?do=park.profile&parkId=117
Temporary Flight Restriction (TFR): A “TFR” is in place at an altitude from the surface up to and including 6500 feet, daily (24 hours) until further notice. Complete information is available at https://tfr.faa.gov/tfr3/?page=detail_5_2600. Flying a drone near or around a wildfire compromises the safety of pilots and interferes with firefighting efforts.
