Hood River, OR – Aided by calm winds, firefighters completed a line around the Milepost 66 fire Thursday afternoon, containing a highly visible blaze along Interstate 84 that began Tuesday night.
The fire, two miles east of Hood River, was contained at approximately 70 acres by about 120 firefighters and two helicopters Thursday. The fire had grown little overnight. The lack of customary Gorge winds was a big help in containing the hillside fire.The cause of the fire remains under investigation.
Meanwhile, firefighters responded to two small fires south of Mosier Thursday afternoon. Called the Elder Road fires, one was a quarter-acre in size; the other about three-quarters. Oregon Dept. of Forestry, aided by firefighters from the National Scenic Area, a National Park Service engine and a helicopter, fought the two blazes. Both fires are under investigation.
Another one-acre fire Thursday near the High Bridge on the Wind River in Washington was picked up by crews from the Larch Mountain Honor Camp, the Dept. of Natural Resources and local fire departments. The Wind River fire caused two homes to be temporarily evacuated. It is also under investigation.
The Mark O. Hatfield Trail from Hood River to Mosier remains closed. No structures are threatened. Interstate 84 remains open, though one of the east-bound lanes is closed at milepost 66, just east of Hood River.
The fire crosses several ownership types, and resources from Oregon Department of Forestry, the U.S. Forest Service, and multiple local fire districts are assigned to the fire.
Crews and airships will be back at work in the morning after monitoring the fire overnight.
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Erin Black
Public Affairs Staff Officer
Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area