Cram Fire approaches megafire status, crosses 90K acres

PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — The Cram Fire, burning about 15 miles north of Madras in Central Oregon, has grown to 94,000 acres as of Friday morning.

The fire sparked on Sunday, July 13, and is actively burning through tall grass, brush, and some timber.

Growth is expected to continue Friday afternoon and evening as breezy conditions develop.

A Red Flag Warning is in effect Friday with wind gusts topping out around 35 mph and relative humidity dipping as low as 10%, creating dangerous fire weather conditions.

If it continues to grow, the Cram Fire could become Oregon's first "megafire" of the season - a term used for wildfires that burn over 100,000 acres.

In recent years, Oregon has seen several megafires during peak fire season, including six in 2020 alone.

That historic season burned well over a million acres of land statewide. Last summer also brought significant megafire activity and burned more acreage than in the 2020 season.

According to the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office, the Cram Fire was sparked by a transformer in the area.

Officials have issued Level 3 “Go Now,” Level 2 “Be Set,” and Level 1 “Be Ready” evacuations for both counties. Updated maps for Jefferson County and Wasco County are available.

The KOIN 6 Weather team will continue to monitor wildfire dangers and wildfire smoke impacts as the season heads into the hottest and driest stretch of the year.