PAISLEY, Ore. — A couple living in Paisley are only about 15 miles away from the Bootleg Fire and tell us the situation right now is pretty nerve-wracking.
Clark Heglar and his wife tell us they are packed and ready to go in case they need to evacuate.
Clark retired from the forest service in Paisley just a couple of years ago.
He said he has always lived in areas where forest fires were annual threats, but the Bootleg Fire is unlike anything he’s ever seen.
The fact that the fire is creating its own weather like clouds, lightning and thunder is a rare phenomenon.
He said it looks like hell is coming towards them.
“We’re not talking about the sun being deep orange … the whole sky is just deep orange, almost black,” Heglar said. “In fact, Wednesday night, our first night like that, when I went out in the yard, I was using my flashlight to make sure I wasn’t going to trip over garden hoses or something like that and we’re talking this is 5 o’clock in the evening,” he added.
Heglar said their community meeting Saturday night was very informative with a lot of people in attendance.
He said he and his wife are ready to head to Idaho with friends and relatives, if necessary.
© 2024 KOBI-TV NBC5. All rights reserved unless otherwise stated.