Wildfire forces 70-mile shutdown of Oregon's I-84 corridor
A fast-moving blaze dubbed the Fox Fire has shut down a 70-mile stretch of Interstate 84 in eastern Oregon, prompting evacuations and halting traffic.
Authorities have ordered a 70-mile closure of Interstate 84 in eastern Oregon after the Fox Fire erupted near the Oregon-Idaho line, about 12 miles northeast of Huntington. The blaze, fueled by hot, dry and breezy conditions, has burned approximately 72 square miles and remains at 0% containment. Residents of Huntington, a community of about 500 people, have been instructed to leave their homes, while nearby towns such as Ontario face heightened risk.
Smoke has hampered aircraft operations, leading firefighters to construct bulldozer lines around critical rail infrastructure. The Oregon Department of Transportation warned drivers that no alternate routes are open, as other highways are also shut due to fire activity. In addition to I-84, a rural stretch of U.S. Route 20 between Burns and Vale is also closed, and the Akawa Butte Fire near Sisters continues to threaten that area.
Why it matters
The closure disrupts a major east-west transportation artery, affecting travel, commerce and safety for residents in a fire-prone region.
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