


The Cram fire in central Oregon, which is threatening 653 structures, most of them homes, has grown to 95,631 acres, making it the largest wildfire of the year so far in the United States.
The blaze expanded in recent days, growing from more than 20,000 acres Wednesday, amid blustery weather and low humidity. Moister air and calmer winds are expected to blunt some of the fire’s growth over the weekend.
“Right now, we’re looking really good,” Gert Zoutendijk, a spokesperson for the Oregon State Fire Marshal Services, said Saturday morning. “The fire has slowed down tremendously. It’s the first morning that we’re not seeing a huge plume of smoke.”
The Cram fire started Sunday near Willowdale, Oregon, which is about 135 miles southeast of Portland. The cause of the fire is under investigation.
Fanned by winds, the fire tore through rangeland and grassland across an area dotted with farms, destroying four homes and two other structures.
— The New York Times