4,000-Acre Hat Rock Wildfire Prompts Level 3 Evacuations, Destroys Home Near Hermiston

A large and fast-moving wildfire called the Cold Springs Fire in the Hat Rock area of Umatilla County, near Hermiston, has rapidly expanded to approximately 4,000 acres, prompting Level 3 evacuations and road closures including Highway 37. The fire has destroyed one home and threatens 15 to 30 other structures, leading to the invocation of the Emergency Conflagration Act for mobilizing state resources and deployment of additional firefighters from Washington County. Air support has been requested to help contain the blaze, with authorities warning all private aircraft and drones to avoid the airspace to ensure effective firefighting operations. Evacuation orders cover multiple zones with shelters established by the Red Cross at the Eastern Oregon Trade and Event Center in Hermiston. Smoke from the wildfire has spread as far as Benton County, raising concerns among residents there, with local fire districts responding to reports of smoke. Officials emphasize the heightened wildfire risk due to recent lightning strikes and issued Red Flag Warnings, urging the public to prevent human-caused fires amid critical fire danger conditions.