At Least 7 Die As Wildfires Ravage Oregon, Washington, California

"“Unprecedented fire.” “Devastating consequences.” “Substantially destroyed.”

Those were among the ways Oregon Gov. Kate Brown described the catastrophic wildfires blazing through large swaths of western Oregon Wednesday. The last statement was a reference to a handful of communities, including Phoenix and Talent in southern Oregon, Blue River and Vida in Lane County and Detroit at the foot of Mt. Jefferson.

The same day Brown warned of historic losses of property and human lives, county officials confirmed at least three deaths discovered among the burned remains in the fires' wake: an individual in Jackson County was discovered where the Almeda Drive Fire burned, and two were found in Marion County, where a complex of fires has burned whole canyons east of the Willamette River.

Officials said they’re looking forward to a change in weather, expected Thursday, as an opportunity to make headway on the fire, even as they’re bracing to find more carnage as the wildfires continue to burn thousands of acres in the state."

Erin Ross and Meerah Powell report for Oregon Public Broadcasting September 9, 2020.

SEE ALSO:

Wildfire Complete Coverage (Portland Oregonian)

"Ashland, Oregon Residents Flee Ahead Of A 'Wall Of Flames'" (Redding Searchlight)

"West Coast Fires: Hundreds Of Homes Burned To Ground, Oregon Governor Says" (CNN)

"'We Could Hear The Trees Exploding': At Least 7 Dead As Swath Of Wildfires Rage Across California, Oregon, Washington, other Western states" (USA TODAY)

"California Town Destroyed By Deadly Wildfire; Another Town Relives 2018 Nightmare" (Fox)

"7 People Die in West Coast Wildfires" (New York Times)

"Statewide Fire Summary" (Cal Fire)

"A Historic Wildfire Season In Oregon" (OPB)

"High Alert: Deadly Northwest Fires Burn Hundreds Of Homes" (AP)

Photos: "Wildfires Blot Out Sun in the Bay Area" (New York Times)

"Wildfires Bring New Devastation Across the West" (New York Times)

Source: OPB, 09/10/2020