Wind-driven wildfire spreads near popular central Oregon vacation spot and prompts evacuations WHIO TV 7 and WHIO Radio [Video]

A wildfire in Oregon’s high desert, near the popular vacation destination of Bend, grew rapidly Wednesday, and officials urged the continued evacuations of hundreds of homes in the area best known for its microbreweries, hiking, river rafting and skiing on nearby Mount Bachelor.

The wind-driven Darlene 3 wildfire was just outside city limits of La Pine, about 30 miles (48 kilometers) south of Bend, and grew to nearly 4 square miles (10 square kilometers).

Video taken Tuesday showed a huge plume of thick smoke billowing behind homes, strip malls and grocery stores. Officials set up an evacuation center at a local high school and were working to get horses and other animals out of the area.

“We’re doing much better than we were yesterday,” Geoff Wullschlager, city manager of La Pine, said Wednesday.

Firefighters were able to build a defense around the fire overnight, and fire managers listed the blaze at 30% contained Wednesday.

The …