Your Daily Guide

A Wildfire Fires Take a Deadly Toll

A private bulldozer operator — Jason Ensign, 47, of Klamath Falls — was helping to battle the Wrights Spring Fire in Southern Oregon when the rapidly moving fire cut off his escape route. His death is the first wildfire fatality in Oregon since 2022. “The ongoing threat from wildfires throughout Oregon became all too deadly once again,” U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden (D., Ore.) said. [Oregonian]

• Not just in Oregon: Wildfires are raging across the West, with 183 started just since Saturday, eight of them large. Two helicopter pilots also died after a crash while fighting wildfires in Utah. [NPR]
• National Guard joins the fight: Last week, the National Guard joined the effort to fight the now 57,000-acre Grasshopper Fire on Mt. Hood. Officials said they've been able to prevent the fire from crossing Highway 35 — protecting recreation areas as well as the nearby communities like Government Camp and Rhododendron. Mt. Hood Meadows remains under a “go now” evacuation order. [KATU / Oregonian]
• The largest fire in Oregon: At more than 540,000 acres, the Big Grass Fire is among the largest in Oregon history, with half the fire across the border in Idaho. Currently, Oregon has 30 active wildfires. [Oregonian]

City Warns Union Pacific Railway Over Plans to Resume Trains

Union Pacific’s plan to resume rail traffic on tracks beside the severely damaged Centennial Mills warehouse could cause the building to collapse — city officials warned Monday. They have no authority to stop the railway company from doing so, even after the vacant building burned a week ago. [City Cast Portland 🎧]

• Plus: City officials also now say canine units with the police bureau have identified possible human remains inside, though crews aren’t able to safely investigate yet. Demolition of the building is expected to begin on Friday. [City Cast Portland 🎧]

Oregon Unemployment Is the 3rd Highest

Oregon now has the third highest unemployment rate in the country, after major layoffs caused joblessness to grow faster here than elsewhere. Still, a 5.2% rate isn’t particularly high by historical standards, and is similar to other states in the region — including California, Washington and Nevada, which also have unemployment rates above 5%. [Oregonian]

E-Bike Recipients Now Avoid Cars

The city’s program to give low-income Portlanders subsidies for purchasing e-bikes has led some recipients to spend less money on gas and more time on their e-bikes. One woman told the Portland Mercury that her car was collecting so much dust that a neighbor visited her for a welfare check. The $20 million program funded by the Portland Clean Energy Fund is expected to run through 2029, though the city’s delays in reimbursing vendors could hamper the program in the future. [Portland Mercury]