Firefighters are battling a wildfire in Wasco County that started Tuesday afternoon and quickly grew to about 3,500 acres, prompting evacuation orders to be issued, the Oregon Department of Forestry said.

The Larch Creek fire, about five miles southwest of the small town of Dufur, is completely uncontained, with high temperatures and winds “playing a significant factor.”

Gov. Tina Kotek invoked the Emergency Conflagration Act Tuesday night, giving the green light to the state fire marshal to bring state resources to bear on the eastern Oregon conflagration.

Eight engines, four dozers and a 20-person crew were on the scene Tuesday night, with more firefighters and equipment on the way, the forestry department said.

A Level 3, or “Go Now,” evacuation order is in place from Clark Miller Road east to Hix Road, North to Kingley-Friend Market Road and South to Badger Creek Road, according to the Wasco County Sheriff’s Office.

A Level 2 order, or “Be Set” to evacuate, is in place for the following areas: McCorkle Road south to Happy Ridge Road, east to J Hix Road, West to FS Road 2700. Level 1, or “Be Ready,” is for Tygh Valley, Pine Hollow and Wamic.

The Wasco County Fairgrounds is an evacuation point for livestock, and Maupin High School is serving as a Red Cross evacuation shelter, the forestry department said.

The cause of the fire hasn’t been established.

The Wasco County Sheriff’s Office Facebook page has the latest information about evacuations.

-- The Oregonian/OregonLive; dperry@oregonian.com