Residents return amid progress on fire W. of Portland

Evacuation levels were lowered and residents returned home Sunday as crews made good progress on the Scoggins Creek Fire, which broke out Friday and burned more than 200 acres west of Portland, in rural Washington County.

The Washington County Sheriff’s Office reduced all evacuation orders to Level I, which means to be ready to leave but not have to be set to go at a moment’s notice.

“After determining the threat to homes and structures significantly decreased, the Oregon State Fire Marshal’s Green Team transitioned its responsibility back to Gaston Rural Fire Protection District and returned home” Sunday, an evening update stated.

Their efforts also kept the fire from spreading and burning an area owned by Stimson Lumber from which it donates the Christmas trees for the Oregon Capitol each holiday season.

“We’re all looking forward to getting closer to the season change. Hopefully, that means a lot of rain after this long fire season,” said Incident Commander Chris Cline.

The fire’s size estimate was reduced through mapping to 211 acres Sunday. It was 55 percent contained by late Sunday, with full containment expected by Wednesday. Nearly 60 firefighters were involved in the effort, at a cost so far estimated at $1.37 million.

About 150 people attended a Sunday night community meeting hosted by the Gaston Fire Department for the latest information on the fire.

Residents in dozens of homes had been urged to leave or warned to be ready to evacuated since the fire broke out Friday afternoon.

Fire officials said low humidity, northeasterly winds and hilly terrain made it difficult to contain the blaze.

Gov. John Kitzhaber invoked the Emergency Conflagration Act so the Oregon fire marshal could mobilize resources from around the state to protect homes.

The cause of the fire was under investigation.

“We are reminded that fire season is still not over, and the danger to life and property persists anywhere a spark and dry fuel exists, no matter what time of year,” the governor said in a statement.

Scoggins Valley Park was closed to assist the firefighting effort and could remain that way for a week, the county said.

Deana and Gene Bonny of Forest Grove had been advised to be ready to evacuate. They told the Oregonian newspaper they moved to the area in June from the Central Oregon city of La Pine. They figured wildfire wouldn’t be an issue here.

“In La Pine, fire was always kind of a threat,” Deana Bonny said. “But you would never think about it here.”

Around Oregon, several other major wildfires continued to burn on another warm, dry weekend, the last hurrah of summer before fall’s official arrival Tuesday evening.

The lightning-sparked Deception Complex Fire has burned over 6,000 acres west of Oakridge, and still has more than 400 firefighters working to put it out, having reached 85 percent containment.

High winds hitting 40 mph grounded aircraft Saturday in the fight against the week-old 36 Pit Fire southeast of Estacada, which has burned 4,320 acres, is about 40 percent contained and has more than 900 firefighters battling it.

The Onion Mountain Fire 15 miles west of Grants Pass has over 1,000 personnel fighting it, has burned over 4,100 acrs and is only 30 percent contained

In Eastern Oregon, the new South Steens Complex of fires north of Fields consists of two fires that have burned more than 20,000 acres total and were 85 percent contained by Saturday, with more than 370 firefighters on the lines.

The lightning-sparked Bald Sisters Fire 12 miles east of Prairie City began in early August, has burned over 2,500 acres and is not expected to be contained until mid October.

Learn more about the Oregon wildfires, including several others being monitored or nearly encircled, at http://inciweb.nwcg.gov/state/38/