Cram Fire grows to 77,000 acres, shifts direction southward
Published 11:45 am Thursday, July 17, 2025
- The Cram Fire burns on Wednesday east of Madras. (Submitted photo)
The Cram Fire in Jefferson and Wasco counties increased in size Wednesday as wildfire crews battled high temperatures and blustery winds.
As of Thursday morning the fire had burned 77,158 acres, increasing from 64,000 a day earlier. More than 90 residences stretching across northern Jefferson County and southern Wasco County continue to be under Level 3-Go Now evacuation orders.
Simone Cordery-Cotter, a public information officer for the Oregon State Fire Marshal’s incident management team, said crews were successful in stopping forward progress on the northern edge of the fire on Wednesday. Progress has also been made on the southeast side of the fire.
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Most of the expansion overnight occurred on the south and southwest sides of the fire and crews were preparing to solidify those areas Thursday. Structures on both the north and south sides have been protected. More than 570 personnel are working to put out the fire.
Cordery-Cotter said a red flag warning is in place for the region and crews are preparing for more hot and dry conditions with gusts up to 25 mph. Winds are expected to be changeable, with gusts blowing both east and west. Cooler temperatures forecast for the weekend could help crews get control of the blaze, she said.
The community of Ashwood has been closest to the flames. Cordery-Cotter said the fire burned right up to the edge of town, which includes around 30 homes and 30 other buildings.
“We had enough resources there that we were able to walk it around any structures,” said Cordery-Cotter.
Properties impacted include the Four Aces Ranch and Outfitters, a big game hunting property near the John Day River. Shantell Johnson, a co-owner of the ranch, said Thursday the fire was around 2 miles from her home and continuing its approach.
The animals on the ranch — including bison, Tibetan yak, boar and water buffalo — have migrated to safer areas away from the burn zone, said Johnson.
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“We are trying to get it out. It’s on the backside of our property. We have animals and we are trying to prevent our property from burning up so we have a livelihood,” she said. “We are trying to keep it contained where it’s at.”
Johnson has sent her children off the property but remained with her husband to protect the ranch’s assets.
Authorities say Madras is not under threat from the fire but they do recommend residents sign up for alerts, including those on the fire’s Facebook page. The fire is more than 5 miles east of the city’s eastern outskirts.
“It is still a substantial distance,” Cordery-Cotter said.