Crook County commissioners declared a state of emergency as multiple wildfires continue burning across the county and surrounding region, citing exhausted local resources and ongoing threats to public safety.

Emergency Declaration

The emergency declaration, approved during a special meeting of the Crook County Board of Commissioners on July 22nd, comes as firefighters battle several major blazes, including the Brewer, Coyote, and Henry fires, along with other smaller fires within the county.

County leaders said the fires were sparked following widespread lightning during the week of July 13 and continue to be fueled by drought conditions, challenging weather, and limited firefighting resources due to the large number of wildfires burning throughout the region.

The county’s Emergency Operations Center has been activated, with emergency responders continuing to monitor fire activity, issue evacuation updates and take other measures intended to protect the public.

Original reporting: KTVZ (Central Oregon) — read the source article.