Santiam Fire

{{Infobox wildfire | title = Santiam Fire |partof=the [[2020 Oregon wildfires]] | image = Oregon Fires 2020, View from Salem Oregon.jpg | image_size = | caption = View of the Santiam Fire from [[Salem, Oregon|Salem]] on September 8, 2020, with a sky reddened by smoke | coordinates = {{coord|44.821|-122.188|region:US-OR|display=inline,title}} | location = Northwest [[Oregon]], United States * [[Marion County, Oregon|Marion County]] * [[Jefferson County, Oregon|Jefferson County]] * [[Linn County, Oregon|Linn County]] * [[Clackamas County, Oregon|Clackamas County]] | reference = <ref name="Beachie Creek Fire">{{cite web |url=https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/7001/ |title=Beachie Creek Incident Information|website=InciWeb |publisher=[[National Wildfire Coordinating Group]] |access-date=October 5, 2020 |date=October 5, 2020}}</ref><ref name="Lionshead Fire">{{cite web |url=https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/7049/ |title=Lionshead Fire Incident Information|website=InciWeb |publisher=[[National Wildfire Coordinating Group]] |access-date=October 5, 2020 |date=October 5, 2020}}</ref><ref name="P-515 Fire">{{cite web |url=https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/7050/ |title=P-515 Incident Information|website=InciWeb |publisher=[[National Wildfire Coordinating Group]] |access-date=September 17, 2020 |date=October 5, 2020}}</ref> | total_fires = 3 | total_area = {{Convert|402,274|acre|ha|0}} | cost = >$25.2 million (2020 USD)<ref name="Large Incident Report">{{cite report|title=2020 National Large Incident Year-to-Date Report|work=Geographic Area Coordination Center|url=https://gacc.nifc.gov/sacc/predictive/intelligence/NationalLargeIncidentYTDReport.pdf|publisher=[[National Interagency Fire Center]]|date=September 11, 2020|access-date=September 11, 2020}}</ref> | cause = [[Lightning]], downed [[overhead power line|power line]] (September spot fires)<ref name="tiny" /> | date = {{Start date|2020|08|16}} – {{End date|2020|12|10}} | injuries = Unknown | fatalities = 5<ref name="2 people" /> | missing = 0<ref name="2 people" /> | buildings = 1,568+ | pushpin_map = USA Oregon | pushpin_map_caption = Location of the Santiam Fire in Oregon | image_map = {{maplink|frame=yes|frame-align=right|frame-width=|frame-height=|from=2020 Santiam Fire.map|frame-latitude=44.9|frame-longitude=-122.1|zoom=8|text=Perimeter of Santiam Fire. Clockwise, left to right: The Riverside Fire, the Lionshead Fire and the Beachie Creek Fire}} }}

{{2020 Western United States wildfire season}} The '''Santiam Fire''' was a very large wildfire that burned in [[Marion County, Oregon|Marion]], [[Jefferson County, Oregon|Jefferson]], [[Linn County, Oregon|Linn]], and [[Clackamas County, Oregon|Clackamas]] counties, in northwest [[Oregon]], United States. Having ignited in August 2020, the 402,274-acre (162,795 ha) fire ravaged multiple communities in northwestern Oregon, before it was fully contained on December 10, 2020. The fire started as three separate fires. '''The Beachie Creek''', '''Lionshead''', and '''P-515''' fires were ignited by lightning on August 16, 2020. The first three fires gradually grew in size, before explosively spreading in early September during a heatwave, fanned by powerful east winds. Early on September 8, the Beachie Creek and Lionshead Fires merged, and the combined fire was labeled the Santiam Fire, before being returned to their original names a couple of days later.<ref name="two big"/> The P-515 Fire merged into the Lionshead Fire a few days later.<ref name="expected to merge"/><ref name="two big"/> The Santiam Fire destroyed over 1,500 structures, including nearly the entire cities of [[Detroit, Oregon|Detroit]] and [[Gates, Oregon|Gates]], with [[Idanha, Oregon|Idanha]], [[Mill City, Oregon|Mill City]], and [[Lyons, Oregon|Lyons]] suffering varying amounts of damage, becoming one of the most destructive wildfires in the recorded history of Oregon.<ref name="13 Santiam Canyon fires">{{cite web|url=https://ktvz.com/news/fire/2020/09/16/power-lines-sparked-13-santiam-canyon-fires-roundup-of-latest-fire-info/|title=Power lines sparked 13 Santiam Canyon fires; roundup of latest fire info|publisher=KTVZ|date=September 16, 2020|access-date=October 5, 2020}}</ref><ref name="fatalities confirmed">{{cite web|url=https://www.statesmanjournal.com/story/news/2020/09/09/santiam-fire-mellows-overnight-but-were-not-out-woods/5754242002/|title=UPDATES: First Santiam Fire fatalities confirmed; sheriff warns people to stay away|author1=David Davis|author2=Zach Urness|author3=Connor Radnovich|author4=Capi Lynn|publisher=Salem Statesman Journal|date=September 11, 2020|access-date=September 12, 2020}}</ref> The fire killed five people.<ref name="2 people">{{cite web|url=https://www.opb.org/article/2020/09/24/only-two-people-remain-missing-in-oregons-devastating-wildfires/|title=2 people remain missing in Oregon's devastating wildfires|author=Amelia Templeton|publisher=OPB|date=September 24, 2020|access-date=October 5, 2020}}</ref><ref name="4 dead">{{cite web|url=https://www.koin.com/local/marion-county/marion-county-wildfires-beachie-creek-santiam-lionshead-fire-evacuations-09112020/|title=4 dead, 10 missing in Beachie Creek Fire|publisher=KOIN.com|date=September 12, 2020|access-date=September 12, 2020}}</ref> On September 10–12, 2020, there were fears that the Santiam Fire would merge with the [[Riverside Fire]] to the north.<ref name="two big"/>

==Timeline== On the morning of August 16, thunderstorms moved across Oregon, starting multiple fires, including the Beachie Creek Fire, the Lionshead Fire, and the P-515 Fire. The Lionshead and P-515 Fires were ignited in the [[Warm Springs Indian Reservation]], near [[Mount Jefferson (Oregon)|Mount Jefferson]], while the Beachie Creek Fire was ignited near Opal Creek, to the west of the other two fires. Initially, the three fires were unremarkable, being relatively small wildfires that smoldered in the rugged terrain of the [[Opal Creek Wilderness|Opal Creek]] and [[Mount Jefferson Wilderness]]es, within the [[Willamette National Forest]]. However, the fires gradually grew in size, since firefighters opted to use only indirect methods and water drops to fight the fires, due to the dangers of directly fighting the fires in the steep, mountainous terrain.<ref name="tiny" /> State authorities closed off portions of the national forest where the fires were burning, in an attempt to keep the fires boxed in. Fire officials noted the potential for the fires to become active and explosively spread under the right conditions, despite their small size at the time.<ref name="tiny" />

On September 7, powerful east winds blew across Oregon and the [[Pacific Northwest]], reaching speeds over {{convert|50|mph|km/h}}, causing the fires to explode in size as they raced westward, with the Lionshead Fire burning down portions of [[Idanha, Oregon|Idanha]].<ref name="tiny">{{cite web|url=https://www.statesmanjournal.com/story/news/2020/09/12/beachie-creek-fire-growth-oregon-santiam-canyon/3474149001/|title=Oregon Wildfires: How the tiny Beachie Creek Fire blew up and ravaged the Santiam Canyon|author=Zach Urness|publisher=Salem Statesman Journal|date=September 12, 2020|access-date=September 13, 2020}}</ref> The winds also blew down [[overhead power line|power lines]] around Santiam Canyon, sparking 13 spot fires between [[Detroit, Oregon|Detroit]] and [[Mehama, Oregon|Mehama]], which quickly grew into a large blaze that merged with the Beachie Creek Fire within hours.<ref name="tiny" /><ref name="Santiam Fire update">{{cite web|url=https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/article/7001/55376/|title=Santiam Fire (including the Beachie Creek Fire area) Information Update 9/9|website=inciweb.nwcg.org|publisher=[[National Wildfire Coordinating Group]]|date=September 9, 2020|access-date=September 13, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200911055246/https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/article/7001/55376/|archive-date=September 11, 2020|url-status=dead}}</ref> Due to the rapid spread of the Santiam and Beachie Creek Fires, and the imminent threat they posed to communities to the west, including areas as far west as [[Salem, Oregon|Salem]], mass evacuations were ordered in Marion County. The evacuation orders were suddenly issued near midnight on Tuesday, September 8, sowing plenty of confusion and chaos in the ensuing evacuations.<ref name="confusion">{{cite web|url=https://www.opb.org/article/2020/09/11/oregon-mayor-describes-confusion-terror-of-midnight-evacuation/|title=Oregon mayor describes confusion, terror of midnight evacuation|author=Dave Miller|publisher=OPB|date=September 11, 2020|access-date=September 12, 2020}}</ref> Early on September 8, the Lionshead and Beachie Creek Fires merged, probably at a point north of Detroit. The merger created a {{convert|313,110|acre|ha|adj=on}} complex fire, which was referred to as the Santiam Fire,<ref name="tiny" /><ref name="expected to merge">{{cite web|url=https://ktvz.com/news/fire-alert/2020/09/10/oregon-fires-near-900000-acres-riverside-beachie-creek-expected-to-merge/|title=Oregon fires near 900,000 acres; Riverside, Beachie Creek expected to merge|author=Barney Lerten|publisher=KTVZ|date=September 10, 2020|access-date=September 11, 2020}}</ref><ref name="two big">{{cite web|url=https://www.mercurynews.com/2020/09/11/map-two-big-oregon-fires-merge-and-a-third-is-close/|title=Map: Two big Oregon fires merge, and a third is close|publisher=The Mercury News|date=September 12, 2020|access-date=September 12, 2020}}</ref> with the name reflecting the fact that the spot fires ignited around Santiam Canyon had been responsible for most of the Beachie Creek Fire's explosive growth.<ref name="Santiam Fire update" /> On September 9, the Santiam Fire quickly moved into and destroyed the city of Detroit as it continued its westward spread.<ref name="fatalities confirmed" /><ref name="destroy five towns">{{cite web|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-wildfires/oregon-fires-destroy-five-towns-governor-says-many-deaths-feared-idUSKBN26036I|title=Oregon wildfires destroy five towns, as three fatalities confirmed in California|author1=Sharon Bernstein|author2=Andrew Hay|publisher=Reuters|date=September 9, 2020|access-date=September 12, 2020}}</ref> Soon afterward, the Santiam Fire destroyed the city of [[Gates, Oregon|Gates]], and burned into [[Mill City, Oregon|Mill City]] and parts of [[Lyons, Oregon|Lyons]] during its westward spread, also threatening the cities of Sublimity, [[Stayton, Oregon|Stayton]], and [[Salem, Oregon|Salem]].<ref name="13 Santiam Canyon fires" /><ref name="santiam-home-destroyed" /> On September 10, incident command renamed the main component fires to Beachie Creek Fire and Lionshead Fire.<ref name="two big" /><ref name="again renamed">{{cite web|url=https://katu.com/news/local/santiam-fire-now-called-beachie-creek-fire-grows-to-182000-acres#:~:text=Santiam%20Fire%20again%20renamed%20Beachie%20Creek%20Fire%2C%20grows%20to%20182%2C000%20acres,-by%20KATU%20Staff&text=MILL%20CITY%2C%20Ore.,acres%2C%20officials%20said%20Thursday%20morning.|title=Santiam Fire again renamed Beachie Creek Fire, grows to 182,000 acres|publisher=Katu.com|date=September 10, 2020|access-date=September 12, 2020}}</ref> On the same day, officials feared that the Santiam Fire would merge with the {{convert|120,000|acre|ha|adj=on}} Riverside Fire to the north, which would create an even bigger fire that would pose a much greater threat to the communities near Salem and [[Portland, Oregon|Portland]], while complicating efforts to contain the fires.<ref name="expected to merge" /><ref name="suspicious">{{cite web|url=https://www.statesmanjournal.com/story/news/2020/09/11/oregon-wildfires-beachie-creek-and-riverside-megafires-canby-molalla-scotts-mills-silver-falls/3466813001/|title=Oregon wildfires: Sweet Home fire called 'suspicious,' crews worry about Beachie and Riverside combining|author1=Zach Urness|author2=Connor Radnovich|publisher=Salem Statesman Journal|date=September 12, 2020|access-date=September 13, 2020}}</ref> However, this fear subsided somewhat on the next day, as firefighters made progress on containing both the Santiam and Riverside Fires, with improved weather conditions.<ref name="suspicious" /> On September 11, the P-515 Fire merged into the eastern portion of the Lionshead Fire, increasing the size of the Santiam Fire to {{convert|322,573|acres|ha|0}}.<ref name="two big" /> During the following week, the [[sea breeze|onshore flow]] returned, causing the Lionshead Fire to begin spreading eastward. On September 23, the Santiam Fire exceeded {{convert|400,000|acres|ha}} in size.

On December 10, 2020, the entire complex fire was fully contained. {{Citation needed|date=January 2025}}

== Impact == The fires forced large-scale evacuations across Marion County. Many buildings were destroyed during the fires' westward spread, mostly in September, with the Santiam Fire destroying most of the cities of Detroit, and Gates, with Idanha, Mill City, and Lyons suffering anywhere from moderate to extensive amounts of damage.<ref name="13 Santiam Canyon fires" /><ref name="fatalities confirmed" /><ref name="santiam-home-destroyed">{{cite web|url=https://katu.com/news/wildfire-season-2020/lyons-oregon-family-returns-home-to-find-only-smoldering-ruins|title=Lyons, Oregon family returns home to find only smoldering ruins|website=[[KATU]]|date=September 9, 2020|access-date=October 5, 2020|first=Kellee|last=Azar}}</ref> The Santiam Fire killed 5 people, and 1 person remains missing.<ref name="2 people" /> <!-- NOTE: The table below was copied over from the 2020 Creek Fire. Please reformat this table appropriately if you wish to use the table in this article. Note that the Beachie Creek and Lionshead Fires both merged on September 8. Use incident sources for both the Beachie Creek Fire and Lionshead Fire to update the table after Sept 9. == Fire growth and containment process ==

{|class="wikitable" style="text-align: right;" |+Fire containment status<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/7147/|title=Creek Fire Information|website=inciweb.nwcg.gov|publisher=InciWeb|date=September 10, 2020|access-date=September 11, 2020}}</ref> Gray: contained; Red: active; %: percent contained; |- !Date !Area burned acres (km2) !!Containment |- |Sep 5||36,000||style="text-align: left;"|{{percentile|0|width=36|height=15|text-size=10|progress-done-colour=grey|progress-tbd-colour=red|text-colour=white}} |- |Sep 6||73,278||style="text-align: left;"|{{percentile|0|width=73|height=15|text-size=10|progress-done-colour=grey|progress-tbd-colour=red|text-colour=white}} |- |Sep 7||78,790||style="text-align: left;"|{{percentile|0|width=78|height=15|text-size=10|progress-done-colour=grey|progress-tbd-colour=red|text-colour=white}} |- |Sep 8||152,833||style="text-align: left;"|{{percentile|0|width=153|height=15|text-size=10|progress-done-colour=grey|progress-tbd-colour=red|text-colour=white}} |- |Sep 9||163,138||style="text-align: left;"|{{percentile|0|width=163|height=15|text-size=10|progress-done-colour=grey|progress-tbd-colour=red|text-colour=white}} |- |Sep 10||175,893||style="text-align: left;"|{{percentile|0|width=176|height=15|text-size=10|progress-done-colour=grey|progress-tbd-colour=red|text-colour=white}} |- |Sep 11||322,573||style="text-align: left;"|{{percentile|5|width=323|height=15|text-size=10|progress-done-colour=grey|progress-tbd-colour=red|text-colour=white}} |- |Sep 12||327,943||style="text-align: left;"|{{percentile|5|width=323|height=15|text-size=10|progress-done-colour=grey|progress-tbd-colour=red|text-colour=white}} |} -->

==See also== {{Portal|Oregon}} * [[2020 Oregon wildfires]] * [[2020 Western United States wildfire season]]

== References == {{Reflist}}

== External links == * [https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/7001/ Beachie Creek Fire Incident] - InciWeb * [https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/7049 Lionshead Fire Incident] - InciWeb * [https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/7050 P-515 Incident] - InciWeb

[[Category:2020 Oregon wildfires]] [[Category:September 2020 in the United States]] [[Category:Wildfires in Oregon]]