Akawa Butte Fire

The Deschutes County Sheriff downgraded some evacuation levels Tuesday for the Akawa Butte Fire in Central Oregon.

Some evacuation levels have been reduced for the Akawa Butte Fire burning near Sisters.

The Akawa Butte fire has burned 26,000 acres. The fire remains the nation’s top priority for firefighting resources.

Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek gave a press briefing Friday in the town of Sisters, where the nearby Akawa Butte Fire has already burned at least two homes and is the number one priority wildfire in the nation, officials say.

Nearly 2,000 people have been ordered to evacuate as heat and dry winds continue to fuel the Akawa Butte Fire near Sisters, Oregon.

Various levels of evacuations are in place in both Deschutes and Jefferson Counties, including some just outside Sisters city limits.

The Akawa Butte Fire started Thursday afternoon and is burning in a rural area west of the Deschutes River and south of Lake Billy Chinook.