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Fires burning on more than 260,000 acres across Oregon The Associated Press 7/28/02 1:04 AM Major wildfires were burning on 264,000 acres in Oregon on Saturday. About 10,495 firefighters are working in the state. The Northwest Interagency Communication Center is tracking at least 14 major fires in Oregon. Top priorities for fire officials were the 9,000-acre Sheldon Ridge fire near The Dalles and the 2,261-acre Skunk Fire in Klamath County. WHITE RIVER Started: 7/23/02, one mile east of Maupin Size: 20,000 acres Containment: 30 percent. Evacuations: mandatory evacuation of White River campground 7/24/02; Bake Oven Road and Buckhollow Road reopened,...

Firefighters forced to deploy emergency shelters By JEFF BARNARD The Associated Press 7/25/02 11:36 AM BEND, Ore. (AP) -- Flames overran a 20-person crew battling Oregon's biggest wildfire, forcing them to deploy their emergency shelters. Eleven firefighters were treated for minor burns and smoke inhalation and released from a hospital here. They returned to fire camp at 3 a.m. Thursday, said David Widmark, spokesman for the Northwest Interagency Fire Coordination Center. The firefighters were members of a contract crew known as Ferguson 53 from somewhere in the Pacific Northwest, hired by the U.S. Forest Service to fight the Tool Box...