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Tag: Columbia River Gorge

Eagle Creek Fire in Columbia River Gorge slows, but still adds over 2,000 acres

Author Bill GabbertPosted on Categories UncategorizedTags , , ,

The fire has burned 33,382 acres, which includes a 209-acre spot fire across the Columbia River in Washington.

On the map above, the red line was the perimeter of the Eagle Creek Fire at 2:15 a.m. PDT September 7, 2017. The white line was the perimeter about 24 hours before.

(Originally published at 9:06 am PDT September 7, 2017)

The Eagle Creek Fire that is believed to have been started by a teenager playing with fireworks, continued to spread Wednesday but more slowly than in previous days, adding another 2,453 acres mostly on the south and northeast sides. The spot fire across the Columbia River in Washington has expanded to 209 acres.

The main fire is 11 miles east of Gresham.

Interstate 84 is still closed. The Oregon Department of Transportation said Wednesday that there are nearly 2,000 trees that are in danger of falling into the highway.

Snow plows are being used to push fallen trees off the Historic Columbia River Highway, which is also closed “for an undetermined amount of time”, the DOT said.

The weather forecast indicates that the air quality should improve in the Portland area over the next few days. The prediction is for a “moderate” Air Quality Index for Thursday and Friday of this week. The forecast also calls for a chance of rain off and on over the next couple of days.

Air Quality Index Oregon Washington
Air Quality Index for Oregon and Washington 7 a.m. PDT, September 7, 2017.
map Eagle Creek fire
3-D map of the Eagle Creek Fire. The red line was the perimeter at 2:15 a.m. PDT September 7, 2017. The white line was the perimeter about 24 hours before.

Eagle Creek fire burns structures and forces evacuations along the Columbia River Gorge

Author Bill GabbertPosted on Categories UncategorizedTags , , , ,

Above: 3-D map of the Eagle Creek Fire looking southeast, showing the perimeter at 7:30 p.m. PDT September 5, 2017.

(Originally published at 12:22 p.m. PDT, September 6, 2017)

The Eagle Creek Fire that has been burning since September 2 along the Columbia River Gorge just west of Cascade Locks on the Washington/Oregon border has merged with the nearby Indian Creek Fire, which together have blackened 30,929 acres. The blaze is about 10 miles east of the Portland suburbs.

Most of the fire is on the south side of the river in Oregon, but it has jumped across the river into Washington near Archer Mountain.

Six structures have burned and there is a report that at least one of them is a residence, with the others being outbuildings.

Eagle Creek Fire
Firefighters protect the Multnomah Lodge at the Eagle Creek Fire, September 5, 2017. Inciweb.

Several communities are under evacuation orders and a shelter has been established at Mt. Hood Community College, at 3691 NE 17th Drive, Gresham, OR. For information regarding evacuations in Skamania County, contact the Skamania County Emergency Operations Center at 509-427-8076.

Firefighters will be conducting burnout operations on September 6th from Bridge of the Gods to Bonneville Dam. There will be large plumes of smoke visible during the day.

map Eagle Creek Fire
Map of the Eagle Creek Fire showing the perimeter at 7:30 p.m. PDT September 5, 2017.

Willamette Week reported that a Portland resident saw a teenage boy using fireworks that may have started the fire. On September 5 the Oregon State Police announced that a 15-year old boy from Vancouver, Washington is a suspect.

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