Officials say resources are stretching thin as Microwave Tower Fire grows

PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — Late last week, officials planned to pull resources from the Microwave Tower Fire and pivot their focus to the Whiskey Creek Fire. Since then, the Wasco County blaze has grown from about 756 acres to around 1,306 acres.

"Mother nature and fires are unpredictable, especially when there are wildfires,” U.S. Forest Service’s Carissa Silvis told KOIN 6. “Then, things got pretty warm and, then, we also had pretty high winds on that second day. So it got a lot hotter where it was burning and we immediately had helicopters there helping to keep things cool.”

Crews from around the country have traveled to Oregon to help contain the blaze. However, with all of the megafires around Oregon, officials have reported that resources are stretching thin.

Silvis said work orders are being fulfilled, but firefighters have made hard calls on what is at risk at each fire.

"When the Microwave Tower Fire started, we had resources on the Whiskey Creek Fire that we immediately moved over to that Microwave Tower Fire because there was life and property at risk..." she said.

Silvis added that several firefighters have sustained mild injuries from battling both fires. But as of Monday night, the only structure that has been reported as damaged is a porch.

The cause of these fires remains under investigation.