Weed, California and Estacada, Oregon: One Town Destroyed, One Affected by Wildfires

VIDEO from Boles fire: Wildfires in separate parts of California and Oregon have damaged or destroyed scores of homes and forced hundreds of people to evacuate.

The Boles fire broke out about 1:30 p.m. Monday near Weed, California about 50 miles south of the California-Oregon border.

The Boles fire destroyed or severely damaged more than 100 homes and buildings and burned a church to the ground as more than 1,500 residents were evacuated to the Siskiyou County fairgrounds. The Boles fire reported has having consumed 350 acres.

The fire progressed through Weed, California before firefighters were able to get equipment to the scene.

OregonDOT: “OR 224 is closed due to the 36 Pit Wildfire burning right along the highway. Even the guardrail is on fire. The wildfire is also causing trees to fall and rocks to slide into the highway. The smoke is so thick in some spots you can’t even see the road ahead. OR 224 will remain closed for the safety of travelers and those fitghting the wildfire.”

Another fire, the “36 Pit Fire” burned near Estacada affected 3,588 acres. The Red Cross opened a shelter at the First Baptist Church in Estacada for residents displaced by the fire. Schools remained open in Estacada, but air conditioning was shut down to minimize smoke inside the building. Smoke and ash were reported affecting the town of Estacada.