I tend not to publicly call out nat'l news orgs that push inaccurate / misleading information about our state. But "Oregon Orders 500,000 To Evacuate" is not correct. There's a reason why you don't see it in The Oregonian, OPB & other local sources. 1/

Oregon has 3-Level warning system w/ wildfires

Level 1: "Be aware of the danger that exists in your area & prepare for possible evacuation."

Level 2: "Be ready to evacuate at a moment's notice."

Level 3: "Evacuate Immediately"

You only get to 500k if you add all 3 levels

But hey, let's admit it: "Wildfires force half a million Oregonians to evacuate" (Washington Post) is a SEXY AS HELL headline, even if, in reality, it doesn't exactly line up w/ "Be aware of danger...prepare for possible evacuation" 3/

Though the half-million evacuees number is BS (for now, at least), the danger & devastation from these fires is unparalleled in Oregon's history. Entire towns destroyed, countless homes lost, many deaths anticipated & some of the state's most beautiful natural places blackened

Fact Check now official:

"The newsroom estimated only about 95,000 people live in zones where residents are supposed to evacuate. Even under the most conservative estimates, the number appears to be no higher than 200,000." https://www.oregonlive.com/news/2020/09/oregon-said-500000-people-have-been-evacuated-because-of-wildfires-the-numbers-dont-add-up.html

An Oregon state spokeswoman wouldn't provide the methodology used to come up with the sensational 500,000 evacuees figure, saying instead: "I don’t want us to get so lost in the detail of the exact number." https://www.oregonlive.com/news/2020/09/oregon-said-500000-people-have-been-evacuated-because-of-wildfires-the-numbers-dont-add-up.html

Update: Oregon state officials now say that only 40,000 residents have been told to evacuate b/c of wildfires.

They had previously said it was 500,000, a figure that was plastered across national news media for hours.

Off by 460,000 people. ¯\\_(ツ)_/¯ https://www.oregonlive.com/news/2020/09/oregon-said-500000-people-have-been-evacuated-because-of-wildfires-the-numbers-dont-add-up.html

Love to see those bogus wildfire evacuation figures for Oregon still trending on Twitter, hours after they were debunked.

(It's 40,000, not a half a million)