RETRACTION!

I thought the air might have cleared up a lot more by now, but the fire has been squirrelly and has continued to grow. It is now at 13,816 acres and the town of Tygh Valley has been evacuated as have the communities of Pine Hollow and Wamic. 

From what I have been able to learn in snippets, no primary structures (residences) have been lost in this fire. So, that is really important, but not as important as one other factor and that is human lives: so far, so good. One firefighter was hospitalized due to dehydration/heat exhaustion. 

The local volunteer firefighters have been working day and night to defend their neighbors. The Feds have come in and they have brought airpower with them. The skies are busy around Tygh Valley. For updated fire reports, check out the Wasco County Sheriff Department's Facebook page and the Facebook page called Larch Creek Fire.

If the fire reaches the Deschutes River it is most likely to do so around Sherar's Falls or possibly slightly downstream. Currently, Hwy 216 connecting Tygh Valley at the flashing yellow light to Sherar's Falls (the road goes past White River Falls State Park) is closed to all traffic. 

The access road is open, people are rafting, a few are fishing, and those that choose to go fishing will be pleasantly surprised by how good fishing can be with the false cloud cover created by the smoke. 

The smoke is here and probably here to stay through the weekend.