Wildfires threaten communities in the West as Oregon fire closes interstate, creates its own weather

Associated Press

BELLINGHAM, Wash. (AP) — Firefighters in the West are scrambling as wildfires threaten communities in Oregon, California and Washington. A stretch of Interstate 84 connecting Oregon and Idaho in the area of one of the fires was closed indefinitely Tuesday. I-84 between Ontario and Baker City closed as flames from the Durkee fire moved toward the roadway in multiple locations. In central Washington, new fires prompted mandatory evacuations and threatened a natural gas plant. New lightning-sparked wildfires in the Sierra near the California-Nevada border forced the evacuation of a recreation area, closed a state highway and were threatening structures Tuesday.