Bobby Corser

Clark County’s burn ban starts 12:01 a.m. July 15, halting land clearing and residential burning and voiding existing permits. Campfires still allowed with strict rules. Ban runs July 15 to Sept. 30.

Oregon City police are probing a portable toilet destroyed in the Oregon City High School parking lot after July 3 illegal fireworks reports. Surveillance shows two vehicles nearby. Case No. 26-012971.

Beaverton police cite a 19-year-old after an illegal firework tossed in a parking lot exploded near a passing car and sparked a grass fire. Suspect called 911, then left before crews arrived.

Portland Fire battled heavy flames and black smoke at a SE 65th Ave house fire, with a propane tank venting on the back porch. Three people were hospitalized, including a woman with leg burns. Cause under investigation.

KATU ABC 2 offers coverage of news, weather, sports and community events for Portland, Oregon and surrounding towns, including Beaverton, Lake Oswego, Milwaukie, Happy Valley, Gresham, Vancouver, Hillsboro, Oregon City, Tualatin, West Linn, Woodburn, Tigard, Tualatin and Garden Home.

Dry thunderstorms are rising east of the Cascades as heat dries fuels. SPC flags a Level 1 severe risk in central Oregon with isolated 58+ mph gusts. Lightning threat may spread into WA overnight, too.

East Evans Creek Fire in Jackson County grows to 7,843 acres, 5% contained. A 1,000-acre spot fire on Board Mountain draws more crews as hot, dry, windy weather fuels spread. Evacuations remain; meeting tonight.

Thunder and lightning jolted western Oregon and southwest Washington before dawn as storms formed near Salem and drifted northwest. KATU reports lightning-linked fire calls and outages, with storms headed toward Astoria.

Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek invoked the Emergency Conflagration Act for the third time this year as the Lower Dry Creek Fire surpassed 5,000 acres in Umatilla County, triggering Level 2-3 evacuations and a major response.

Oregon faces a surge of wildfires: 50 new blazes in central Oregon. Hopkins and Lower Dry Creek fires have each burned 5,000 acres with structures threatened. East Evans Road Fire tops 11,551 acres, 5% contained.