Wildfires

HEPPNER — The Morrow County Board of Commissioners has formally declared a drought in the county and formally asked Gov. Kate Brown for state support.

SALEM — Oregon House Speaker Tina Kotek announced on Thursday, Dec. 31, the House committees for the upcoming 2021 legislative session, which will focus on a variety of issues, including wildf…

Worldwide, 2020 was a year that seems likely to feature prominently in the history books of the future, and Umatilla and Morrow counties were not immune to the flood of news. The following is …

Large trees, defined as 21 inches in diameter or bigger, make up just 3% of national forests in central and eastern Oregon, yet they store a disproportionately massive 42% of above-ground carb…

LA GRANDE — The Oregon Department of Forestry is terminating fire season on lands protected by the Northeast Oregon District, according to an agency press release.

UMATILLA COUNTY — State Rep. Greg Smith and state Sen. Bill Hansell are facing some unusual circumstances in their reelection bids — a Democratic challenge.

David Dunn returned Sunday, Sept. 20, from his second trip to Clackamas County, where he dropped off much-needed supplies to help those affected by the fires that have devastated Western and S…

Smoke from wildfires burning around Oregon and nearby states has pushed Hermiston’s air quality to hazardous levels over the past week.

National Guard soldiers from around the Pacific Northwest gathered at the Hermiston armory on Tuesday morning, Sept. 15, before heading out to assist in Oregon’s firefighting efforts.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation became the latest law enforcement agency to implore people to stop spreading misinformation about the wildfires burning in Oregon and other West Coast state…

COVID-19 has ruined a lot of summer plans, but Hermiston residents can still celebrate the Fourth of July with a bang.

PENDLETON — A staff shortage at the Umatilla County District Attorney’s office means District Attorney Dan Primus is taking up more cases in the courtroom himself.

PENDLETON — Nadine McCrindle hasn’t been with the Red Cross for very long, but she’s already facing a challenge.

HERMISTON — Umatilla Electric of Hermiston is one of dozens of electric cooperatives across the nation supporting passage of a bill in Congress aimed at protecting their nonprofit status.

Farmers in Eastern Oregon are optimistic about the size and quality of this year's potato crop, despite cold weather during harvest that can lead to issues with starch content and bruising.

UMATILLA COUNTY — Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden announced this week that $150 million is available to certain counties hit by severe winter storms and flooding this year, including Umati…

HERMISTON — A series of fires along railroad tracks near Hermiston kept firefighters busy Wednesday afternoon.

The arrests of dozens of locals in January for drug crimes was the result of one confidential informant who received more than $27,000 for working with police.

They sit at desks in Pendleton for their entire shift, but Umatilla County Dispatchers become closely familiar with almost every public safety incident in the county.

Hours after President Donald Trump signed his first veto, Rep. Greg Walden’s vote in favor of the vetoed bill was on a lot of minds in Hermiston.

The next person who gets lost or stranded in Umatilla County could get help from the SARbot.

Operation Wildfire, a January drug bust by the Blue Mountain Enforcement Narcotics Team, put 65 people from Umatilla, Morrow, Union and Gilliam counties behind bars. It also sent a wave of chi…

The Blue Mountain Enforcement Narcotics Team arrested more the five dozen suspects to take down drug trafficking organizations Wednesday in Operation Wildfire.

Months of intense heat and smoky skies are not expected to diminish Oregon’s potato crop, with farmers across the state predicting average to above-average yields heading into the bulk of harvest.

Homeowners who lose their homes to wildfire are often covered by insurance, but it helps to know how that insurance works before disaster hits.

When it seems like the entire state is on fire, it’s only natural that people want to show their support to the firefighters working to keep the flames at bay.

Highway 730 was closed from Cold Springs Junction to Wallula Junction for most of the day Monday as agencies battled a wildfire that grew to more than 10,500 acres by the evening.

Most national pundits see Republican Greg Walden as a lock to win an 11th term representing Oregon’s 2nd District in the U.S. House.

Residents can expect smoky skies and low air quality all week across northeast Oregon as wildfires continue to rage in the Pacific Northwest.