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Stouts Fire Grows To 15,000 Acres, Evacuations Ordered

By Lizzy Duffy (OPB)
Portland, Oregon Aug. 1, 2015 5:49 p.m.
The Stouts Fire is burning about 11 miles east of Canyonville. Some residents were ordered to evacuate Friday.

The Stouts Fire is burning about 11 miles east of Canyonville. Some residents were ordered to evacuate Friday.

Douglas Forest Protection Association

High temperatures and low humidity in southern Oregon caused the Stouts Fire to grow overnight. The wildfire is now burning more than 15,000 acres east of Canyonville.

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Evacuations have been ordered for 188 homes.  Additional evacuations could be forthcoming.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency authorized the use of federal funds to help with the fire. FEMA funding is available to pay 75 percent of the state's firefighting or life-saving effort costs associated with the fire. 

"This is a tough fire," said John Buckman Oregon Department of Forestry Team 1 incident commander in a statement. "Because of the challenging terrain and abundant, dry fuel — large standing and downed trees — we have difficult work ahead to suppress this fire but I know these crews can do it."

Gov. Kate Brown declared a Conflagration Act Thursday to bring more personnel to the scene. More than 800 firefighters are on the ground after task force teams from Clackamas, Lane, Linn/Benton, Lincoln, Marion and Yamhill counties joined the effort.

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