The Rum Creek fire has burned more than 8,404 acres, per the National Interagency Fire Center as of Saturday|via Google Maps
A wildfire in southwest Oregon, which started by lightning two weeks ago, is spreading rapidly, officials said Sunday.
The Rum Creek fire has burned almost 15 square miles, or 8,404 acres, per the National Interagency Fire Center. That’s more than double the 7 square miles reported Saturday.
As of Sunday, the fire had destroyed several structures in the drought-stricken remote area that’s home to about 200 people.
An incoming heatwave could worsen the situation, prompting Governor Kate Brown to declare a statewide emergency amid ongoing evacuations.
The order allows National Guard troops to respond to the fire, which has already taken the life of 25-year-old local firefighter Logan Taylor.