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Lisa Wilkolak reports on the Austin Fire's expansion and the resulting emergency closures in Mt. Hood National Forest.

Fire officials are managing the Austin Fire, which has burned over 9,000 acres in the Clackamas River Ranger District. Lisa Wilkolak, a fire official, noted that the fire remains uncontained as it moves through the scar of the 2020 Riverside Fire. To ensure public safety and protect firefighting crews, the U.S. Forest Service has expanded emergency closure orders, shutting down several popular recreation sites including Lake Harriet, Timothy Lake, and Bagby Hot Springs. Clackamas County authorities have issued Level 3 'Go Now!' evacuation orders for the affected areas. While the Austin Fire is currently not threatening Bagby Hot Springs, it has already encompassed private property like Austin Hot Springs. Firefighters are utilizing cooler temperatures and lighter winds to build containment lines in the steep terrain. The fire's growth is being monitored closely as it impacts air quality in the Willamette Valley and Estacada. The cause of the Austin Fire remains under investigation.

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