High winds cause extensive damage in Grant County

GRANT COUNTY – The high wind event in Grant County made life more challenging for some residents on Tuesday night and Wednesday morning. The National Weather Service warned of gusts up to 50 miles per hour.

UPDATE (11/20 at 10:45 a.m.): OTEC provided an update on the power outage that has been affecting customers between Seneca and Canyon City, including 94.5FM KJDY. Power has been rerouted and restored to Seneca; however, the line between Seneca and Canyon City needs to be left de-energized while the cause of the outage is located. Crews are on scene searching for the cause of the outage, but there is no estimate as to when power could be restored to 94.5FM KJDY and the surrounding customers.

Listeners can still tune in to KJDY on 93.7FM, on the AM band at AM1400, and stream it at elkhornmediagroup.com for the same great content.

Parts of the freeway are shut down on I-84, and that means we will likely see an increased amount of truck traffic here on our Grant and Harney County highways. A reminder to truckers: Do not follow sideroads through Grant County on your GPS. Stick to the main state highways. Only the main highways are maintained this time of the year, and what looks like a shortcut on the map can wind up being a place your truck gets stuck. Stay safe, use your chains when you need them, and enjoy the trip through Grant County.

Grant County Sheriff Todd McKinley sent our newsroom some photos (below and above) of damage around the Canyon City area this morning due to the winds. A Canyon City Public Works building collapsed, and a fence was blown over at a residence on Humbolt. The Sheriff advises Grant County residents to tie down any loose items outdoors, and to report further incidents into dispatch.

Stay posted for updates.