Fireworks-sparked fire stopped at Lake Billy Chinook

(Update: Adding late-night pickup fire on Hwy. 26)

A Jefferson County sheriff’s deputy and Fire District No. 1 lieutenant climbed down into the Crooked River Canyon above Lake Billy Chinook to quickly douse a fireworks-sparked brush fire Thursday night, officials said.

The fire district was dispatched just before 9 p.m. to the reported fire in the canyon above Jordan Road, near the Crooked River Campground at Cove Palisades State Park, Captain Kasey Skaar said.

Sheriff’s deputy Brad Hamlin and fire district Lt. Aaron St. John climbed down into the steep canyon below the first overlook area and were able to extinguish the fire quickly, holding it to a few hundredths of an acre, Skaar said. They also conducted mop-up as the first district and sheriff’s office investigated the blaze.

“I would like to personally recognize the bravery of Deputy Hamlin,” Fire Chief Brian Huff said. “He went above and beyond the call of duty to engage (the fire) with a bladder-bag backpack pump issued to him by the fire district.”

Huff also said the fire should serve as a reminder to be careful with fires and not light fireworks near wildland areas or combustible items.

Jefferson County fire crews were called out again, shortly before midnight, to a vehicle fire on Highway 26 near milepost 113.

Skaar said they arrived to find a Dodge 1500 pickup almost fully involved and the motorist safely away from it. The pickup was under a power line and blocking a lane on the highway. Crews quickly knocked down the blaze. The cause was unknown.