[PHOTOS] D'immenses brasiers couvrent de cendres la région de Portland
This Monday Sept. 4, 2017, photo provided by KATU-TV shows the Eagle Creek wildfire as seen from Stevenson Wash., across the Columbia River, burning in the Columbia River Gorge above Cascade Locks, Ore. A lengthy stretch of highway Interstate 84 remains closed Tuesday, Sept. 5, as crews battle the wildfire that has also caused evacuations and sparked blazes across the Columbia River in Washington state. (Tristan Fortsch/KATU-TV via AP)Photo: Associated Press
This Monday Sept. 4, 2017, photo provided by KATU-TV shows the Eagle Creek wildfire as seen from Stevenson Wash., across the Columbia River, burning in the Columbia River Gorge above Cascade Locks, Ore. A lengthy stretch of highway Interstate 84 remains closed Tuesday, Sept. 5, as crews battle the wildfire that has also caused evacuations and sparked blazes across the Columbia River in Washington state. (Tristan Fortsch/KATU-TV via AP)
This Monday, Sept. 4, 2017, photo provided by KATU-TV shows a wildfire as seen from near Stevenson Wash., across the Columbia River, burning in the Columbia River Gorge above the Bonneville Dam near Cascade Locks, Ore. A lengthy stretch of highway Interstate 84 remains closed Tuesday, Sept. 5, as crews battle the growing wildfire that has also caused evacuations and sparked blazes across the Columbia River in Washington state. (Tristan Fortsch/KATU-TV via AP)
This Monday, Sept. 4, 2017, photo provided by KATU-TV shows a wildfire as seen from near Stevenson Wash., across the Columbia River, burning in the Columbia River Gorge above Cascade Locks, Ore. A lengthy stretch of highway Interstate 84 remains closed Tuesday, Sept. 5, as crews battle the growing wildfire that has also caused evacuations and sparked blazes across the Columbia River in Washington state. (Tristan Fortsch/KATU-TV via AP)
This Sept. 4, 2017, photo provided by Inciweb shows a wildfire burning in the Columbia River Gorge east of Portland, Ore. A lengthy stretch of highway Interstate 84 remains closed Tuesday, Sept. 5, as crews battle the growing wildfire that has also caused evacuations and sparked blazes across the Columbia River in Washington state. (Inciweb via AP)
This Monday, Sept. 4, 2017, photo provided by KATU-TV shows a wildfire as seen from Stevenson Wash., across the Columbia River, burning in the Columbia River Gorge above Cascade Locks, Ore. A lengthy stretch of highway Interstate 84 remains closed Tuesday, Sept. 5, as crews battle the growing wildfire that has also caused evacuations and sparked blazes across the Columbia River in Washington state. (Tristan Fortsch/KATU-TV via AP)
Looking south toward Milton-Freewater, Ore., along Hwy 11, Tuesday, Sept. 5, 2017. A growing Oregon wildfire covered parts of Portland’s metropolitan area Tuesday with ash and forced the shutdown of a lengthy stretch of highway through the state’s scenic Columbia River Gorge. It was one of dozens of wildfires burning in western U.S. states that sent smoke into cities from Seattle to Denver — prompting health warnings and cancellations of outdoor activities for children by many school districts.(Greg Lehman/Walla Walla Union-Bulletin via AP)
The Eagle Creek fire has been burning in the Columbia River Gorge since Sept. 2, 2017. The wildfire threatened the Multnomah Falls Lodge Tuesday, Sept. 5, 2017. (Jim Ryan/Staff)
Looking down Main Street Walla Walla, Wash., Tuesday, Sept. 5, 2017. A growing Oregon wildfire covered parts of Portland’s metropolitan area Tuesday with ash and forced the shutdown of a lengthy stretch of highway through the state’s scenic Columbia River Gorge. It was one of dozens of wildfires burning in western U.S. states that sent smoke into cities from Seattle to Denver — prompting health warnings and cancellations of outdoor activities for children by many school districts.(Greg Lehman/Walla Walla Union-Bulletin via AP)
D’impressionnants feux de forêt en Oregon, aux États-Unis, ont couvert de cendres plusieurs secteurs de la région métropolitaine de Portland, mardi.
Le brasier de 41 km2 a forcé l’évacuation d’au moins 700 résidences autour d’une des plus grandes attractions touristiques de la région, la gorge de la rivière Columbia, située à une centaine de kilomètres à l’est de Portland.
Le feu a rapidement pris de l’ampleur dans la nuit de lundi à mardi. Les autorités n’ont eu que quelques minutes pour prévenir les habitants situés sur la rive orégonaise du cours d’eau, qui longe la frontière avec l’État de Washington.
La police croit que l’incendie, qui a pris naissance samedi, a été causé par un adolescent de 15 ans et ses amis qui s’amusaient avec des feux d’artifice. Un suspect a été identifié, mais aucune arrestation n’a encore été effectuée.
Au total, 600 soldats de la garde nationale ont été appelés afin de combattre une douzaine de brasiers dans l’État.
Une section de 48 km de l’autoroute I-84 a été fermée en raison des épais nuages de fumée et des flammes qui s’approchaient de la route par endroits, a indiqué Dave Thompson, porte-parole du département des transports de l’Oregon. «Si le feu passe par-dessus la route, les gens vont conduire droit dans un mur de flammes», a-t-il dit.
Outre l’Oregon, des feux faisaient rage un peu partout dans l’ouest du pays mardi, projetant leurs nuages de fumée de Seattle à Denver. Pas moins de 80 feux de forêt brûlaient sur une superficie de plus de 5 700 km2 dans neuf États différents, selon le National Interagency Fire Center, une agence basée en Idaho.
