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EnvironmentOregon

Oregon wildfire burns nearly 100,000 acres, approaches ‘megafire’ status

By
Chris Morris
Chris Morris
Former Contributing Writer
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By
Chris Morris
Chris Morris
Former Contributing Writer
Down Arrow Button Icon
July 21, 2025, 11:45 AM ET
Photo: MADRAS, OR - 15 JULY 2025: A satellite view captures dense smoke plumes driven by extreme heat, gusty winds, and rugged terrain. The Cram Fire in Oregon is currently the state's largest active wildfire, burning over 64,000 acres near Madras and Ashwood. Firefighting crews, air support, and structure protection teams are working under emergency orders to contain the fast-moving wildfire. Imaged 15 July 2025. (Photo by Gallo Images/Orbital Horizon/Copernicus Sentinel Data 2025)
MADRAS, OR - 15 JULY 2025: A satellite view captures dense smoke plumes driven by extreme heat, gusty winds, and rugged terrain. The Cram Fire in Oregon is currently the state's largest active wildfire, Photo by Gallo Images/Orbital Horizon/Copernicus Sentinel Data 2025
  • The Cram Fire in Oregon has burned over 95,000 acres. It could become a “megafire,” signaling it has burned 100,000 acres, in the near future. Centered in rural Oregon, the fire has not destroyed as many buildings as some smaller fires in California.

The Cram Fire in Oregon broke out on July 13 and has been burning ever since. To date, it has impacted 150 square miles of land, nearly 100,000 acres and has flirted with “megafire” status. Fueled by strong winds and high temperatures, it’s burning southeast of Portland, in a sparsely populated area.

Firefighters have made some progress with the fire. It is currently 73% contained, according to Oregon officials.

The fire is the biggest, to date, in the U.S. In 2025. (Fire season, however, typically peaks in the late summer months.) As of 11:00 p.m. Sunday evening, the fire had burned 95,748 acres. Should it reach 100,000 acres, that would meet the U.S. Interagency Fire Center’s definition of a megafire, a term meant to underscore the size and severity of massive fires (much like the Saffir-Simpson Wind Scale defines hurricanes).

The Cram Fire’s location has made it a possible megafire that doesn’t have the same level of tragedy as smaller fires have in California. To date, only four houses have been destroyed, though hundreds of other buildings are still threatened. The cause of the fire is still unknown.

Evacuation orders and warnings remain in place across at least three counties – Jefferson, Wasco and Crook County, per Central Oregon Fire. Officials said in an update Sunday they were fire anticipating cooler weather, higher humidity and possibly rain to help “moderate fire behavior.”

More than 930 firefighters are working to extinguish the blaze.

The Cram Fire is, by far, the largest in the country right now, but it’s far from the only wildfire that is threatening land across the U.S.

Two wildfires on the North Rim of the Grand Canyon has burned over 70,000 acres and destroyed a historic lodge. And in Colorado and Utah, the Deer Creek fire has burned over 16,000 acres.

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About the Author
By Chris MorrisFormer Contributing Writer

Chris Morris is a former contributing writer at Coins2Day, covering everything from general business news to the video game and theme park industries.

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