Crews in Oregon make progress against the nation's largest wildfire in 2025
Firefighters in central Oregon made significant progress in their battle against a colossal blaze that triggered evacuations and a state of emergency as it tore across swaths of rugged land, destroying four homes and threatening hundreds of other buildings.
The Cram Fire, which has become the nation's largest wildfire this year, has charred about 150 square miles of land, an area larger than the size of Las Vegas. The blaze broke out on July 13 and burned for several days before undergoing explosive growth fueled by strong winds, high temperatures, and low humidity. It was at 73% containment, the Central Oregon Fire Information said in a July 21 update.
The fire ignited near Willowdale, a sparsely populated area about 133 miles southeast of Portland, and swept through grasslands and rangeland in the region, fire officials said. The cause of the blaze is unclear and remains under investigation, officials said.
If the Cram Fire grows by more than 4,200 acres, it will reach what's known as megafire status, meaning it will have burned more than 100,000 acres of land.
Evacuation orders and warnings remain in place across at least three counties, including Jefferson, Wasco, and Crook, but some zones were downgraded on July 20 and July 21, according to Central Oregon Fire Information. In a statement on July 20, fire officials said they anticipate cooler weather, possible rain, and higher humidity to "moderate fire behavior."
2 residences, 14 outbuildings destroyed in Cram Fire
The Jefferson County Sheriff's Office previously reported that four residences and two other structures were destroyed in the fire. Following field verification, interviews with landowners, and further damage assessments in previously inaccessible terrain, fire personnel determined that two structures earlier identified as residences were outbuildings.
Fire crews also found 12 other outbuildings that were destroyed, including barns, workshops, pump houses, and sheds — "bringing the total count of destroyed structures to (two) residences and 14 outbuildings," the Central Oregon Fire Information said.
Some personnel at Cram Fire to be released, officials say
Firefighters in Oregon have been aided by increasingly cooler and humid weather, which is expected to continue for the next few days.
More than 930 fire personnel responded to the blaze and worked to stop its rapid spread over the weekend. On July 20, crews traversed rugged terrain as they used dozers to carve containment lines. They recently focused on the southern edge of the blaze, thinning juniper trees along the fire lines to reduce potential fuels.
A reconnaissance flight on July 20 revealed little to no heat within the interior or along the entire perimeter of the fire, the Central Oregon Fire Information said in a statement on July 21. Available aerial resources were then redirected to support firefighting efforts for the nearby Butte Creek and Greeley Heights fires, according to the statement.
The fire agency said firefighters continued to mop up hot spots and patrol containment lines on July 21.
"Wildland crews on the east side of the fire, near Grater Butte, remain focused on fortifying constructed lines, increasing their width for additional assurance," the statement added. "Structural resources are gradually demobilizing as the threat to homes decreases."
Some personnel who were brought in to protect homes, businesses, and other structures will be released as containment grows and cooler weather lingers, the Central Oregon Fire Information said. More than 600 firefighters remain on the incident and will work on containing and extinguishing the fire.
"As containment increases on the (Cram Fire) and the threat to homes and structures decreases, many of the structural fire crews who have been working diligently are beginning to demobilize today and tomorrow," according to a July 21 update on the fire's information page.
Wildfires burn across the West
While the Cram Fire was the largest wildfire in the nation, it was far from the only blaze scorching wide swaths of land.
In northern Arizona, a pair of wildfires burning at or near the Grand Canyon North Rim have charred over 70,000 acres of wildland. The White Fire, which devastated a section of the park, consuming a historic cabin and dozens of other buildings, was at 12,645 acres and 8% containment as of July 20.
In western Colorado, crews working a series of wildfires made gains over the weekend, setting up fire lines and increasing containment percentages. The largest of the wildfires, the Deer Creek Fire, has consumed 16,340 acres of land in Colorado and Utah and was at 22% containment.
Red flag warnings active in Nevada, Wyoming
The National Weather Service issued red flag warnings in Nevada and Wyoming as meteorologists anticipate "critical fire weather" on July 21.
The weather warnings urge residents to avoid activities that could spark a fire, including yard work, target shooting, discarding cigarettes outdoors and lighting campfires.
"A Red Flag Warning means that critical fire weather conditions are either occurring now, or will shortly," read a warning from the weather service office in Elko, Nevada. "A combination of strong winds, low relative humidity values, and warm temperatures can contribute to extreme fire behavior."