picture courtesy of Abigail Dollins/Statesman Journal

The Oregon Department of Forestry has released its report on the cause of the Santiam Canyon Fires in 2020.  There was a total of 19 fire reports.  12 of them were caused by Pacific Power equipment, but the investigators found they were all put out by residents or firefighters.  The fires that caused the damage were started by embers from the Beachie Creek Fire that was burning in the Cascades.  Investigators interviewed over 180 witnesses during the investigation.