Oregon Highway 126 between mileposts 13 and 19.5 is closed due to increasing activity from the Boulder Creek Fire burning just north of the junction between Highway 126 and 242 east of Eugene, according to the Oregon Department of Transportation.
A level 1 “be prepared” evacuation warning was issued Sunday for the areas north of McKenzie Highway and near Belknap Hot Springs due to the 306-acre blaze.
In addition, ODOT says McKenzie Pass Highway 242 will remain closed to all traffic indefinitely between the intersection with OR 126 and the Dee Wright Observatory at mileposts 55 to 75 in the area of the Linton Creek Fire, which as of Tuesday morning, has burned over 700 acres near McKenzie Pass in the area around Linton Meadows and Eileen Lake, west of the Three Sisters Wilderness.
Fire crews and highway officials are evaluating how long the highway closures will remain in place, said Devin Young, a public information officer working the Willamette Complex North wildfires.
“It’s an ongoing evaluation and we’re planning to release more information about the closure shortly,” he said. “Obviously there is a lot of firefighting equipment and personnel on the highway as well as dangerous trees that we’re taking precautions for.”