Brushfire near The Dalles burns 300 acres, 50 pct. contained
Gov. Kate Brown invoked the Emergency Conflagration Act on Monday in response to a brushfire west of The Dalles that grew to 300 acres and threatened several structures.
Mid-Columbia Fire and Rescue and the Dallesport Fire District were dispatched around 7:25 p.m. Sunday to a 30-by-30 foot grass fire at 5620 Cherry Heights Road, officials said Monday. By the time crews arrived, it had spread to about five acres and was growing quickly.
About eight to 10 structures were threatened and a pump house was lost to the fire, named the Wasson Pond Fire, officials said. No homes have been lost to the fire so far, but some residents were evacuated on Mill Creek Road.
More fire crews from the Oregon Department of Forestry, U.S. Forest SErvice, Hood River County, Oregon and Klickitat County, Wash., responded to assist in the initial fire attack.Air attack and a single-engine air tanker helped from the air.
Crews worked through the night and Monday morning to put out hot spots and strengthen control lines. Two 20-person hand crews were ordered from ODF to assist.
As of Monday morning, the fire was 50 percent contained. Officials said crews would work through the day to control fire spread and protect structures, with windy weather expected to pose a challenge later in the day.
No injuries have been reported to firefighters or civilians. The cause of the fire remains under investigation, officials said.
“We ask that the public be extremely cautions with fireworks during the Fourth of July holiday,” the Monday update stated.
“I am invoking an emergency declaration to ensure the safety of Wasco County residents and to make additional state resources available to firefighters working to contain the Wasson Pond Fire,” Brown said.
In accordance with ORS 476.510-476.610 , Governor Brown determined that a threat to life, safety, and property exists due to the fire and that the threat exceeds the firefighting capabilities of local firefighting personnel and equipment.
The Governor’s declaration authorizes the Oregon Office of State Fire Marshal to mobilize resources to assist local first responders battling the fire.
