Firefighters are battling the Flat Fire near Sisters, Oregon, which has burned nearly 22,000 acres, with efforts hampered by challenging weather conditions and high temperatures. Evacuations are in place, and community support and coordination among agencies are crucial in protecting homes and infrastructure.
The Flat fire in Oregon has doubled in size to over 18,000 acres, prompting evacuations for more than 1,000 homes amid hot and windy conditions, with the fire expected to expand further. The fire started near Sisters and is part of a broader pattern of wildfires across the Western U.S. fueled by a heat wave, with other fires in California and Wyoming also threatening communities.
Oregon is facing multiple wildfires, with the Bedrock Fire growing to 500 acres in the Fall Creek area, the Golden Fire rapidly spreading and prompting evacuations, the Simnasho Fire improving to 25% containment, and the Flat Fire growing to 20,231 acres near the town of Agness. Air quality is expected to worsen in southern Oregon, and a human-caused fire was reported on the South Sister climbers trail but has been fully contained.