'Historic' winds bring fires, power failures, bad air to Northwest Oregon

Firefighters and electric utilities were scrambling Tuesday morning as powerful east winds brought evacuations, widespread power failures, a first-of-its-kind power shutdown and smoky, unhealthy air to Northwest Oregon. The wind, beginning late Monday afternoon, combined with heat and low humidity to create nightmarish fire risk. The Marion County Sheriff reported expanding evacuations due to multiple fires in the Santiam Canyon, and said an evacuation staging center was open at the Oregon State…