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2 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? e-edition | subscribe | newsletter | deals Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » NEWS NOW Medford outage reduced to less than 70 residents ... Local agencies simulate emergency at gas-manufacturing plant ... Naloxone credited with nine overdose saves ... Medford outage reduced to less than 70 residents ... Local agencies simulate emergency at gas-manufacturing plant ... Naloxone credited with nine overdose saves ... Oregon blaze declared nation's top firefighting priority Comment MailTribune.com Writer Posted Aug. 19, 2015 at 1:40 PM Updated Aug 19, 2015 at 1:41 PM Posted Aug. 19, 2015 at 1:40 PM Updated Aug 19, 2015 at 1:41 PM » Social News The Associated Press A fire in remote eastern Oregon that destroyed 36 homes and was threatening 500 more today was declared the nation's top priority for resources. The priority level for the fire near John Day, about 150 miles east of Portland, was based on the threat to homes and human life, and the closure of U.S. Highway 395, a major artery in the region, said Carol Connolly, a spokeswoman for the Northwest Interagency Coordination Center. After starting from a lightning strike last week, the Canyon Creek Complex fire has burned 75 square miles, mostly in Malheur National Forest. There are 649 firefighters assigned to the blaze — one of 11 large fires burning across Oregon. Smoke from the fires made air quality moderate to unhealthy for special groups across most of the state. Firefighting resources were maxed out for the region, and incident commanders were releasing crews and equipment from lower priority fires to pitch in on top priority blazes, Connolly said. With so many fire departments sending engines to protect homes from wildfires, the Oregon Parks and Recreation Department banned beach fires, campfires and candles in state campgrounds. U.S. Forest Service Chief Tom Tidwell and Gov. Kate Brown were expected to visit the fire command post at Grant County Fairgrounds, where food, clothing and household goods for victims were also being handed out. Brown planned to visit with victims while Tidwell planned to spend time with firefighters. Oregon and Washington had 8,500 civilian personnel fighting 25 large fires, and some U.S. Army crews were being assigned to fires in eastern Washington. Talks were under way to bring in fire management personnel from Australia and New Zealand. The Oregon State Fire Marshal's Office said firefighters defended homes Tuesday in the Canyon Creek area south of John Day. Some evacuation warnings were downgraded on the north end of the fire perimeter, where homes burned Friday. MailTribune.com Writer Posted Aug. 19, 2015 at 1:40 PM Updated Aug 19, 2015 at 1:41 PM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Southern Oregon Directory Featured Businesses Loading... Business Name address Location, ST | website.com Find Southern Oregon Attractions Bars Restaurants Beauty Salons Entertainment Doctors Medical Specialists Contractors Education Lawn Services Lawyers Shopping Travel Tanning Used Cars Wedding Services ▼ Add your business here + Events Calendar Connect with MailTribune.com Facebook Twitter RSS Back to top Reader Services Reader Services Home Subscriptions Subscriber controls Contact us Submissions Photos Events Letters to the editor Corrections Announcements Obituaries Story ideas Since you asked Alerts Email Alerts RSS Feeds Text Alerts Advertise Media Kit Home Products and services Ad rates Advertising contacts Propel Marketing Mail Tribune Daily Tidings The Nickel Shop Our Valley Blogs Mobile Site Stay Informed Email newsletter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Your privacy is important, read our privacy policy. © Copyright 2015 Local Media Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms of Service | Local Media Group Publications Original content available for non-commercial use under a Creative Commons license, except where noted. MailTribune.com | P.O. Box 1108, Medford, OR 97501