2020 Oregon wildfires


The 2020 Oregon wildfire season was the most destructive on record in the state of Oregon. The season is a part of the 2020 Western United States wildfire season. The fires killed at least 11 people, burned more than of land, and destroyed thousands of homes.

Background

"Fire season" in Oregon typically begins in mid-May and ends with the first rains that normally begins in late September. Drought, snowpack levels, and local weather conditions play a role in Oregon's fire season, particularly in Eastern and Southwest Oregon. During peak fire season from July to September, most wildfires are caused by lightning, while ignitions in the early and later parts of the season are related to humans. Warm, dry conditions in summer heighten the wildfire risk. After over 100 years of fire suppression and prevention of all fires, there is now an abundance of fuel. Climate change is leading to a reduced snowpack with an earlier and reduced snowmelt, so there is a higher risk for areas that receive wildfires.

Timeline

The Oregon Department of Forestry declared fire season beginning on July 5, 2020, signaling the end of unregulated debris burning outdoors.
In early September, unusually high winds and continued dry weather caused the rapid expansion of multiple wildfires in Oregon. Over 1,000,000 acres were burned, and about 40,000 people were evacuated, with about 500,000 people in evacuation warning areas. The cities of Phoenix, Talent, Detroit, Idanha, and Gates in Oregon were substantially destroyed by the Almeda Drive and Santiam Fires respectively. State-wide, at least 7 people have been killed.
In the Almeda Drive Fire area — between Ashland, Talent, and Phoenix — more than 2,800 structures were destroyed. Around the South Obenchain Fire, which stretched from Shady Cove nearly to Butte Falls, 153 structures were lost. Jackson County Sheriff Nathan Sickler said that these numbers do not differentiate between homes, businesses, outbuildings, and other structures. Assessing the precise nature of those structures lost would fall to local teams in the days and weeks ahead.
Officials stated that the Almeda Drive Fire was human-caused. On September 11, a man was arrested for arson, for allegedly starting a fire that destroyed multiple homes in Phoenix and merged with the Almeda Drive Fire. A separate criminal investigation into the origin point of the Almeda Drive Fire in Ashland was ongoing as of September 2020.

Causes

Through the end of July 2020, 90% of Oregon's wildfires had been caused by humans versus a yearly average of 70%, possibly because of increased outdoor recreation due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Rumors and theories

Rumors spread on social media that antifa activists were deliberately setting fires and preparing to loot property that was being evacuated. Some residents refused to evacuate based on the rumors, choosing to defend their homes from the alleged invasion. Authorities pleaded with residents to ignore the rumors. One Facebook post shared thousands of times falsely stated, "KXL Radio in Portland reported today that Firefighters are now being shot at by suspected Antifa and BLM members." QAnon followers participated in the misinformation, with one false claim that six antifa activists had been arrested for setting fires amplified by Q specifically. There were also rumors that members of far-right groups had started some of the fires, though authorities labeled the claims as false, saying that people needed to question claims that they found on social media.
Senator Jeff Merkley, decried President Donald Trump's comments blaming forest management for the fires as a "devastating lie.” Speaking on This Week with George Stephanopoulos, Merkley blamed climate change for the fires.
One of the major fires, the Almeda fire in Southern Oregon, was worsened by a second blaze that was allegedly the result of arson. The first origin point of the fire was still under active investigation as of late 2020, and arson was suspected there, as well.
Several small brush fires in Portland that were quickly put out were also the result of arson by a suspect who was apprehended, released, and then started several more.

List of wildfires

The following is a list of fires that burned more than 1,000 acres, or produced significant structural damage or loss of life.
NameCountyAcresStart dateContainment dateNotesRef
Neals HillHarney3,3915 8 202013 8 2020Caused by lightning.
FrogCrook4,02016 8 202031 8 2020Caused by lightning.
Green RidgeJefferson4,33816 8 20201 9 2020Caused by lightning.
Indian CreekMalheur48,12816 8 202016 9 2020Human-caused.
P-515Jefferson4,60716 8 202013.11.2020Caused by lightning; merged into the eastern portion of the combined Santiam Fire on September 11.
LionsheadJefferson, Linn, Marion, Wasco204,46916 8 202013.11.2020Caused by lightning; merged with the Beachie Creek Fire on September 8; the combined fires were briefly renamed Santiam Fire, 280 structures destroyed, 10 injuries.
Beachie CreekClackamas, Linn, Marion193,57316 8 202028.10.2020Unknown cause; merged with the Lionshead Fire on September 8, which were briefly named the Santiam Fire; 1,323 structures destroyed, 10 injuries, 5 fatalities.
White RiverWasco17,44217 8 202013.11.2020Caused by lightning, 1 structure destroyed, 2 injuries, 1 firefighter fatality.
LaurelWheeler1,25719 8 202031 8 2020Caused by lightning.
Holiday FarmLane, Linn173,3937 9 202026.10.2020Unknown cause, 768 structures destroyed, 6 injuries, 1 fatality.
BrattainLake50,9517 9 20206 10 2020Human-caused, 1 structure destroyed.
Two Four TwoKlamath14,4737 9 202010.10.2020Unknown cause, 48 structures destroyed.
Echo Mountain ComplexLincoln2,5527 9 202021 9 2020Unknown cause, 293 structures destroyed.
SlaterJosephine157,2208 9 2020November 12Originally started in California then spread to Josephine County.
Chehalem Mountain–Bald PeakWashington2,0008 9 202014 9 2020Caused by campfire on private property.
RiversideClackamas138,0548 9 20203 12 2020Human-caused, 139 structures destroyed, 4 injuries.
ThielsenDouglas9,9758 9 202016.11.2020Unknown cause, 4 injuries.
Almeda DriveJackson3,2008 9 202014 9 2020Human-caused, suspected arson, 3,000+ structures destroyed, body found near origin of the fire, active crime scene investigation, 3 fatalities.
South ObenchainJackson32,6718 9 202003.10.2020Unknown cause, 89 structures destroyed.
Archie CreekDouglas131,5428 9 202016.11.2020Unknown cause, 111 structures destroyed, 10 injuries, 1 firefighter fatality.
Leslie GulchMalheur5,1475 11 202016.11.2020Human-caused.