PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) ? A fast-moving wildfire in the Santiam Canyon of Marion County is prompting evacuation orders ? which are getting more urgent by the hour.
Last updated around 10:30 a.m. on Tuesday morning, the Marion County Sheriff?s Office issued Level 3 ?Go? evacuations for Lyons, Mehama, Detroit, Idanah and Highway 214 north of Silverfalls State Park to Scotts Mills. Level 2 ?Get Set? evacuations are in place for Stayton, Sublimity, Aumsville and Highway 213 west of Mt. Angel in Silverton to Drakes Crossing.
According to MCSO, Highway 22 remains closed from Stayton through the Santiam Canyon. If you have to evacuate, MCSO said, you will be allowed to get out of the canyon ? but no one will be able to return.
The various state parks in the county have been evacuated as part of an emergency wildfire closure. Collier State Park was evacuated shortly before 9 p.m. on Monday, while Detroit, Mongold and North Santiam state parks were evacuated as of 2:40 a.m. Tuesday morning. Silver Falls State Park campground was also evacuated as of 5:30 a.m.
MCSO said all residents who have not evacuated need to leave immediately due to the ?significant fire danger.?
MCSO says it?s too dangerous for deputies to go door to door to notify families ? and they are begging people to leave their homes if they live in these areas.
?The extreme fire activity in the area poses an imminent danger to anyone who chooses to remain in the evacuated area. Our deputies are committed to helping keep our community safe; however, conditions have become too dangerous for them to continue with evacuation efforts at this time,? Sheriff Joe Kask said. ?I encourage anyone still in the Santiam Canyon to leave immediately following the deputies out of the area. I cannot say when the conditions will allow deputies and other emergency responders to return to the area to render assistance. Please leave now.?
Those who need a place to go can travel to the evacuation center at the Oregon State Fairgrounds at Northeast 17th and Silverton Road in Salem. According to the Red Cross, about 100 people had arrived at the center by 6 a.m. on Tuesday morning.
A second emergency evacuation center is set up at the Deschutes County Fairgrounds at Southeast Airport Way in Redmond as well. Call the Marion County Emergency Management information line at 503.391.7294 with any questions.
KOIN 6 News will continue to update this story.
Reply With Quote
