Ore. tractor operator dies while battling blaze

摘要

This story was updated at 2:30 p.m. EDT. A wildfire that spread rapidly in a rural area east of Portland, Ore., killed a man who was likely trying to use a tractor to create a firebreak, according to police. John Ruby, 64, was found dead yesterday near a tractor that had been scorched by the blaze. Authorities say he may have been trying to prevent the fire from reaching his neighbor's property. The fire started Tuesday near The Dalles and burned 70 square miles in just over 24 hours, burning through wheat fields.