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Smoke permeates the air in Estacada, but change could be on the way. Nathan Howard / Getty News

Here’s your daily roundup of all the latest local and national news. (Like our coverage? Please consider making a recurring contribution to the Mercury to keep it comin’!)

• HOPEFUL NEWS ON OREGON’S WILDFIRE FRONT: According to Governor Kate Brown and state fire officials in their press conference this afternoon, the dry, windy weather system that helped spread the blazes all week has broken down, and now wet, cooler air is coming in from the coast—which means firefighters can turn from a defensive, life-safety approach to an offensive mode where they’re actually able to battle the blazes. But manage those expectations! Over a million acres have burned and 40,000 people have been evacuated from their homes. Plus the massive fire that has put Clackamas County in various stages of evacuation is still 56 miles long (!!) and will be very challenging to put out. And while fire fighters have made significant progress with many of the fires around the state, an estimated eight blazes will be with us until the winter rains come. But thanks to the change in weather, and lots of support coming in from neighboring states, fire fighters can now focus on containment, and gaining access to areas that were impossible to reach earlier.

The threat of wildfire is not increasing for @multco. @clackamasfire & @pdxfiire confirm the fires in @clackamascounty are not moving in a way that would shift any part of @multco to an evacuation level. There are no orders of evacuation — here’s why. pic.twitter.com/jwBxVA1PaA

— Multnomah County, OR (@multco) September 11, 2020

• But UGH, that SMOKE! A thick haze of hazardous smoke that’s hanging over Portland is expected to stay with us through much of the weekend—so avoid going outside or too much strenuous activity. Be sure to check out these helpful tips for taking care of your precious lungs!

• And because some people will believe absolutely ANYTHING: Law enforcement around the state were forced to push back against QAnon rumors that Antifa was to blame for Oregon’s forest fires. (Help! My eyeballs are in serious danger of rolling out of my head!)

.@conradjwilson spoke to law enforcement officers around the state about these ridiculous rumors antifa started Oregon’s wildfires.

Me paraphrasing their response: ‘Stop wasting precious public resources in a crisis with your Facebook freakouts.’https://t.co/2Yu6h5XSOL

— Ryan Haas (@ryanjhaas) September 11, 2020

• In response to the spread of wildfires, Mayor Ted Wheeler has closed all city-owned parks (including forested areas) until September 24.

• In an infuriating response to Mayor Wheeler banning the use of CS tear gas, Portland Police issued a myopic, butt-hurt statement that’s usually reserved for the consistently butt-hurt police union, saying that if they’re not able to gas large swaths of mostly innocent protesters and nearby neighborhoods, they’ll be forced to be even more violent and fire munitions at anyone who looks at them funny. Our Alex Zielinski has more.

PPB is officially and publicly undermining the policy decision of their boss. In any other organization or city bureau, people would be fired. https://t.co/HWVhwfnNX3

— Jesse Merrithew (@JesseMerrithew) September 11, 2020

• In in the midst of a pandemic and wildfires, art is still happening! Find out all the fun, interesting stuff that’s going on with this year’s online TBA:20 festival with our deep-dive preview!

IN NATIONAL NEWS:

• Today Americans are commemorating the 3,000 lives that were lost during the 9/11 attacks. In years to come, will we also remember the 190,000 Americans that were killed (so far) by coronavirus and Trump’s willful inaction?

President Trump on Thursday defended his decision to mislead the public about the deadliness of the coronavirus as documented in Bob Woodward’s new book.

So far, more than 190,000 Americans have been killed by the virus. https://t.co/30oyJeWzVz

— NPR Politics (@nprpolitics) September 11, 2020

• The Kentucky Attorney General is expected to present evidence to a grand jury as early as next week in the case of Breonna Taylor, who was shot and killed by police after they broke into her apartment.

• Houston Police Chief Art Acevedo says that officers ignored their training when they shot a man 21 timesas he was experiencing a mental health crisis. As a result, four officers were fired in connection with the killing.

• The Trump administration was blocked by federal judges yesterday from excluding undocumented immigrants from the census, which would help decide how many congresspeople each state receives. Naturally, Trump and his corrupt minions plan to appeal the decision.

• Suspicious News: Federal prosecutor Nora Dannehy quietly resigned today from her job of scrutinizing the Trump-Russia investigation, and it’s reported that she was getting pressure from Trump’s crony Bill Barr to rush her findings so they could be released before the election in November.

• I don’t want to say football fans are the worst… I really don’t. So I’m just going to leave this headline here and you can draw your own conclusions: “Kansas City Chiefs fans booed players during a moment of unity against racism.”

• The WEATHER REPORT: Smoky skies will probably continue at least until Sunday with a cool high tomorrow of 70.

• And finally, RIP to the actor shot by a nun in this Magnum P.I. clip.

On a lighter note, I just want to celebrate the performance of this actor who got shot by a nun on Magnum, P.I. pic.twitter.com/coBflWwR2u

— Bill Cameron (@bcmystery) September 11, 2020

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