According to the Incident Management Team, the Eagle Creek Fire in the Columbia River Gorge on the Oregon/Washington border is nowhere near contained — they are calling it 46 percent.
The fire started on the south side of the river September 2, allegedly by a teenager playing with fireworks, and grew rapidly on September 5, spotting across the river into Washington near Archer Mountain.
Cooler temperatures and higher humidity levels helped slow fire growth over last week or so, and as of September 23rd, it is 48,668 acres.
These excellent photos were taken by the Incident Management Team this weekend. They show vast areas of burned trees but also large swaths of green canopy.
Is tge Lodge threatened?
The Gorge is still a place of transcendent beauty, and my family and I intend to visit ASAP and often thereafter to watch the rebirth of the ecology. Huge kudos to the courageous firefighters, kudos to Nature for seeing to it that the natural mosaic of fire worked as it was supposed to, and all best wishes to the residents who hope to regain their lives and livelihoods as the healing begins. We hope to see you soon!
god bless all the brave men and women who work so hard in forestry. you are super heroes! much love.
The gorge is such a beautiful place whether on fire or not, but its devastation will be seen for a long time to come. Thanks to all the firefighers and a support crew fighting the blaze and sharing what carelessness can do to our natural resources. Check out this music video ‘Eagle Creek Elegy’ on youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DyCiqEd5ZfI
I highly doubt any of us could have achieved a mosaic like that with intent.