Sizzling, dry climate and excessive winds will make the subsequent few days particularly harmful for wildfires, Gov. Kate Brown and state hearth officers warned throughout a web-based press convention Thursday.
Oregon has seven massive energetic fires burning greater than 168,000 acres throughout the state, Brown stated. Circumstances headed into the weekend imply these fires might develop and any new sparks might shortly lead to out-of-control blazes, stated Travis Medema, the chief deputy state hearth marshal.
“As we have a look at the forecast and estimate what circumstances might be throughout the panorama, the mixture of actually dry winds, low relative humidities and an unstable environment can result in explosive hearth development,” he stated. “We’re very involved concerning the subsequent 72 hours and what which means.”
A lot of the state is in danger for extreme fires, Medema stated, however hearth officers are most involved about injury from robust easterly winds within the Columbia River Gorge space and south to Douglas County.
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The most important present hearth, the Double Creek Fireplace within the Wallowa-Whitman Nationwide Forest, practically doubled in measurement Wednesday and has burned greater than 100,000 acres. Each that fireplace and the Sturgill Fireplace barely to the west in Wallowa County have been declared conflagrations, which suggests they’ve grown too huge for native firefighters to handle and the state has taken over.
Oregonians all through the state ought to be cautious to keep away from inflicting fires, Medema stated. Together with not deliberately beginning fires, state officers say Oregonians ought to follow driving on arduous surfaces, like paved or gravel roads, make sure that tow chains are secured and tires and exhaust methods are in good situation earlier than driving and keep away from utilizing instruments that would create sparks, similar to chainsaws or lawnmowers.
“As you’re out and about, do every thing you may to restrict one spark, as a result of one spark might trigger a big wildfire underneath these extreme circumstances,” Medema stated.
Lots of of properties are already underneath some degree of an evacuation discover, and about 42,500 prospects of Pacific Energy and Portland Basic Electrical have been warned about dropping energy as early as midnight as a result of they’re in high-risk areas.
That is actually about doing what you may, the place you might be, with what you may have.
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– Andrew Phelps, state emergency administration director
Maria Pope, CEO of Portland Basic Electrical, stated through the press convention that extra of the corporate’s roughly 900,000 prospects ought to be ready for short-term energy losses if wind damages electrical gear. The corporate supplies electrical energy to many in Portland and the north Willamette Valley.
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“Please have a plan and be prepared for the lack of energy,” Pope stated.
Each energy corporations will function shelters for individuals who have misplaced energy, and different cooling facilities might be out there as wanted. Temperatures are anticipated to achieve highs of 99 levels in Salem and Eugene on Saturday, with hotter-than-usual temperatures all through a lot of the state.
Smoke from present fires in Oregon and different states may even attain far past the fires themselves. Oregonians, particularly these with respiratory circumstances, ought to attempt to restrict their time outside and chorus from strenuous actions whereas smoke is a matter, Brown stated.
Individuals all through the state ought to make sure that their telephones and different gadgets are absolutely charged and that they’ve water and nonperishable meals in case they lose energy or need to evacuate, stated Andrew Phelps, the state emergency administration director.
“That is actually about doing what you may, the place you might be, with what you may have,” Phelps stated.
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Oregon had a sluggish begin to its hearth season, because of chilly, wet climate by the late spring, however ongoing drought circumstances meant grasses and different vegetation spent all summer time drying out.
“We’re actually at what I’d characterize because the apex of fireplace season, the place fuels have been drying all season lengthy,” Medema stated.
No. 9 Oregon State put on a show in its first 2025 home gymnastics meet Saturday, scoring 196.40 points to easily beat Brigham Young at Gill Coliseum.
Senior Jade Carey, performing in a home meet for the first time since winning two Olympic gold medals last summer, scored 39.725 in all-around. Carey had scores of 9.95 on bars and floor, 9.925 on beam and 9.90 on vault.
Carey had the highest score in each event on either team. The best scores by a Beaver gymnast aside from Carey were 9.85s by Natalie Briones (bars), Sage Thompson (bars), Lauren Letzsch (beam), Savannah Miller (floor) and Sophia Esposito (floor and beam).
Brigham Young scored 194.2 points. Kylie Eaquinto led the way with an all-around score of 39.050.
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— Nick Daschel covers the Oregon State Beavers. Reach him at 360-607-4824 or @nickdaschel. Listen to the Beaver Banter podcast or subscribe to the Beavers Roundup newsletter.
On Saturday morning at the Navy All-American Bowl in San Antonio, Texas, three-star prospect T’Andre Waverly announced his commitment to Oregon State over Washington and Notre Dame.
The product of Kamiak High School in Mukilteo, Washington, is ranked as the nation’s No. 96 athlete and No. 18 player in the state in the 2025 class by 247Sports. Once he arrives in Corvallis, he’s expected to play tight end.
“I believe in [offensive coordinator Ryan] Gunderson for the future,” Waverly told 247Sports’ Brandon Huffman. “And I’m excited to get to know the new tight ends coach [Will Heck].”
“[Head coach Trent] Bray seems like a real get to business guy and I like that. I don’t want a coach who will pamper me. I want someone who will tell me what I need to do and what to do.”
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Despite seeing the in-state prospect going elsewhere, tight ends coach Jordan Paopao has pulled in a promising batch at the position after signing four-star Baron Naone and three-star Austin Simmons in December.
For an athlete, a loss can shake even the strongest mental foundation. For Ohio State quarterback Will Howard, those feelings bubbled up after losing to the Oregon Ducks 32-31 at Autzen Stadium in early October.
While interviewing with ESPN before Ohio State’s semifinal game against the Texas Longhorns for the College Football Playoffs, the quarterback reflected on that feeling of loss.
“It’s been a rollercoaster. Some of the ups and downs that we did go through are why we’re sitting here today in the semifinals and probably playing our best ball right now,” Howard said. “There have been some tough moments. I’d say that Oregon loss early on in the season was rough.”
Oct 12, 2024; Eugene, Oregon, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes quarterback Will Howard (18) walks off the field after losing 32-31 to Oregon Ducks during the NCAA football game at Autzen Stadium. / Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
Howard, who went 28-35 passing for 326 yards and two touchdowns, remembers what he did after that fateful quarterback keeper turned slide that sealed the fate of the Buckeyes during that regular season encounter with the Ducks.
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“Coming out of it I felt like I played a good game but it was really just the ending. I sat there and stewed over just how could I have done that differently. But when we got back here I think it was about six in the morning. I didn’t know what to do with myself. I was kind of at a loss. I went into the indoor and I just laid there for about an hour – hour and a half. I was in a dark place. I just wanted another crack at them so bad. I just couldn’t stop thinking about the next chance I could get,” Howard said.
It wasn’t too long before Howard got his second chance with Oregon. After winning the Big Ten Championship, the No. 1 ranked Ducks were seeded for the Rose Bowl. With the Buckeyes easily beating Tennessee at home the previous week, Ohio State faced the Ducks once more.
Ohio State Buckeyes quarterback Will Howard (18) motions at the line of scrimmage during the College Football Playoff quarterfinal against the Oregon Ducks at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, Calif. on Jan. 1, 2025. Ohio State won 41-21. / Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
“Before every game, I listen to two voicemails that my late grandmother sent me and I’ve been doing that every game for the last three years now,” Howard said. “I listened to the voicemail and it just brought this immense peace over me. This year for the playoffs it actually probably got me going even more. It really helped.”
Those voicemails helped Howard correct his headspace before facing Oregon in the Rose Bowl. Howard went 17-26 in passing for 319 yards and three touchdowns. The Buckeyes completely shut out Oregon in the first quarter, with the Ducks only responding at the end of the second quarter with a touchdown and two point conversion. Howard reflected on the point in the game where the Buckeyes were up 34-0 against the No. 1 team in the nation.
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Ohio State Buckeyes quarterback Will Howard (18) holds a rose following the College Football Playoff quarterfinal against the Oregon Ducks at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, Calif. on Jan. 1, 2025. Ohio State won 41-21. / Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
“Ecstatic. I mean, at that point it felt like it was almost not real. It was like ‘Man, are we really up on the No. 1 team in the country right now that we were in a dog fight with at their place?’” Howard said.
The Buckeyes won against Oregon 41-21, advancing to the Cotton Bowl Classic against the Texas Longhorns, where Howard and the Buckeyes are knocking on the door of a National Championship.
“You take a big National Championship ring and hoisting the trophy up. It takes a lot of the hardships and bad things that happened this year and kind of go out the window,” Howard said.
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