Wasco County declares local state of emergency after Rowena Fire, seeks state and federal cleanup aid

Sheridan McClellan, Wasco County Emergency Management, asked the Wasco County Board of Commissioners on June 18 to “declare a local emergency to address the hazardous materials cleanup necessitated by the Rowena Fire,” saying the blaze had created “significant environmental and public health risks that require immediate actions to mitigate.”

The request followed an assessment of the incident that McClellan summarized for the board: the fire started June 11 and had burned thousands of acres; officials reported widespread evacuations and property loss. McClellan told commissioners the fire has “burned over 3,500 acres and placed nearly 4,000 homes on evacuation orders” and estimated the destruction of 56 homes, 91 outbuildings, 18 vehicles and about 13 recreational vehicles. She said household ash, building debris and other residues were likely to contain hazardous materials and that some local water systems had been advised not to use tap water due to possible contamination.

Nut graf: The emergency declaration directs county staff to pursue state and federal support for hazardous‑materials assessment, removal and resident assistance. McClellan asked the board to enable Wasco County to seek resources from the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality, the Environmental Protection Agency, the Federal Emergency Management Agency and Oregon Emergency Management to support cleanup, safe removal of contaminants and temporary resident services.

In discussion, commissioners noted the speed of response from state firefighting partners and the community’s early volunteer efforts, and emphasized the long road of recovery ahead. Commissioner Hagee and other board members expressed concerns about capacity and urged patience as agencies coordinate. The board voted unanimously to approve the motion to declare a local state of emergency regarding the Rowena Fire and additional fires in Wasco County (motion language recorded in the minutes as moving to approve “order 20 8” declaring the local emergency). Chair Hagee cast the deciding vote on the record; commissioners recorded their support and the board noted the declaration will allow quicker access to state and federal cleanup and recovery funds.

Commission directions and next steps included coordinating with state and federal agencies on hazardous‑materials assessment, establishing points of contact for affected residents, and supporting the multi‑agency resource center (MARC) and other local recovery services. McClellan and staff will return with follow‑up recommendations and requests for specific assistance as assessment data becomes available.

Ending: The board’s declaration makes emergency funding and technical assistance eligible for Wasco County and is intended to accelerate hazardous‑materials removal, protect drinking water and help residents access temporary housing and other support. Commissioners said the county will continue daily coordination with state and federal partners as recovery moves from response into cleanup and reconstruction.