Wildfire smoke and heat hit Oregon communities hard: Oregon DEQ expanded wildfire air quality advisories to include Clackamas County, with smoke expected to last at least through Wednesday afternoon as multiple Oregon fires burn; in Eugene-Springfield, AQI readings pushed into the upper moderate range late Tuesday. Rowe Creek Fire strains the state: The Rowe Creek Fire complex near Mitchell is burning across the Painted Hills area and into Fossil Beds National Monument, with Oregon at Planning Level 5 and crews working long days as resources get stretched. Public health watch for rabies in Douglas County: Two more bats tested positive for rabies, bringing Douglas County’s total to three cases in 2026; officials urge people not to touch bats and to seek medical care after any bat encounter. Conservation and forest management in court: A federal judge halted logging on about 3,000 acres of mature forest in Douglas County’s 42 Divide Project after “serious questions” were raised about safeguards for threatened northern spotted owls. Local sustainability win: Ashland Food Co-Op’s “Bring it Back” program cut single-use plastic utensil use by 80% by switching to stainless steel forks customers return and reuse. Clean-energy ballot push: Eugene’s Clean Energy Fund initiative submitted more than 14,000 signatures toward the November ballot, aiming to require corporate fees to fund green projects. Clean-energy permitting progress: A new report says state legislatures are improving clean-energy siting and permitting policies, including wins cited for Oregon.