Tony Tooke, sworn into office a week ago as chief of the U.S. Forest Service, is among the policy makers expected to see the Eagle Creek fire damage on a tour Saturday.

Fire managers are expected to provide an update on progress battling the fire at a media briefing set to begin at 1:30 p.m. Saturday in Troutdale.

The Hood River County Sheriff's Office said in a statement Friday night that it had added some communities west of Hood River to a Level 1 evacuation. The sheriff's office made the change based on information gathered from a flight over the Eagle Creek fire area Friday morning that showed the fire further east than previously observed.

The sheriff's office also said the Level 2 evacuation east of Cascade Locks was extended to include Wyeth.

Firefighters completed a "burnout operation" Friday south of Cascade Locks, reducing the danger of Eagle Creek fire progressing toward the city near the Bridge of the Gods, officials said. Also, firefighters burned vegetation around a communications tower south of Cascade Locks.

Gusty winds from the west pushed much of the smoke out of the east end of the Gorge on Friday, although smoke was still present in Hood River.

Fire managers also offered a glimpse at "the mosaic," as a statement called it, of burned and living trees.

"Some areas contain trees with brown needles or portions of slopes where crown fires consumed most of the foliage and branches from the trees," the statement says. "Other areas within the fire perimeter have green trees. While some of these may die later from damage to their roots, many of these trees should survive, keeping the gorge green."

Latest photos from Eagle Creek fire in Oregon 89 Gallery: Latest photos from Eagle Creek fire in Oregon

Tooke, sworn into office Sept. 1, will be joined by several officials, including: U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore.; Rep. Peter DeFazio, D-Ore.; Hilary Franz, Washington Commissioner of Public Lands; Jim Pena, U.S. Forest Service Pacific Northwest regional forester; Major Gen. Michael E. Stencel, the Adjutant General of Oregon. Before that, they are expected to participate in the media briefing in Troutdale.

Tooke, a Forest Service employee since age 18, previously was the agency's Southern regional forester. Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue announced Tooke's appointment Aug. 21.

"He will oversee efforts to get our forests working again, to make them more productive, and to create more jobs," Perdue said at the time of Tooke's appointment. "His focus will be on ensuring we are good neighbors and are managing our forests effectively, efficiently and responsibly, as well as working with states and local governments to ensure the utmost collaboration."

Upon his appointment in August, the Wilderness Society issued a statement praising Tooke for "a strong record of accomplishment in bringing together diverse interests and forging new partnerships to help the Forest Service meet the many challenges facing our nation's forests."

U.S. Sen. Steve Daines, R-Mt., issued a statement Thursday about Tooke's appointment, noting the severe fire season his state has experienced.

"The most critical near term objective is, unquestionably, protecting communities experiencing these wildfires," Daines wrote in a letter to Tooke. "But, it is abundantly clear that the conditions of our forests warrant more active treatment to increase their health and resiliency. Fire season always reminds us that either we manage our forests, or our forests manage us."

--Allan Brettman

503-294-5900

@allanbrettman