Oregon: Authorities in the U.S. state of Oregon have decided to close down nearly 32 km of an interstate due to a wildfire, which obscured visibility, U.S. media reported Thursday. The Oregon Department of Transportation announced that Interstate 84 (I-84) was closed between the towns of Hood River and The Dalles.

According to Namibia Press Agency, photos shared by the department showed flames burning alongside and in the median of the highway as wind gusts fanned the smoke. The fire also prompted the local Wasco County Sheriff's Office to issue a level 3 evacuation order, urging recipients to leave the area immediately.

Residents of more than 700 homes were ordered to evacuate in an area stretching northwest of The Dalles along I-84 and further inland. Additionally, residents of more than 1,352 homes were told to prepare to leave, including parts of the town's northern end.

The fire, which broke out Wednesday, was estimated to be about 50 acres.