A fire behavior scientist who was at the front lines of the deadly 2020 Santiam Canyon Fire is challenging the conclusions of a recently released report by the Oregon Department of Forestry.
The report determined that downed power lines played no role in the deadly blaze.
Instead, the report concluded, it was burning embers from the Beachie Creek Fire that were blown for miles by a fierce 70 mph east wind that ignited the new fires. The fire killed five and caused significant damage in the small Santiam Canyon towns of Gates, Lyons, Mill City and Mehama…