THE DALLES, Ore. — A wildfire in Oregon prompted officials to issue evacuation orders for hundreds of homes and to close nearly 20 miles of an interstate in the Columbia River Gorge on Wednesday as smoke obscured visibility.

The Oregon Department of Transportation said Interstate 84 was closed between Hood River and The Dalles. Hood River, a popular tourist destination about 55 miles east of Portland, is home to some 8,000 people, and more than 15,000 people live in The Dalles further east.

Photos shared by the department showed flames burning alongside and in the median of the highway as wind gusts fanned smoke.

A water-dropping helicopter and a plane dropping fire retardant helped fight the fire from above. The fire broke out on Wednesday.

Department spokesperson David House said in an email that the interstate will be closed indefinitely, “due not only to the wildfires but also due to the extreme danger of driving in smoke.”

Residents of more than 700 homes were ordered to evacuate the area.

— The Associated Press