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| Above: Smoke rises from the Chapman Grange Road No. 1 Fire. The fire was reported Sunday and is now 100% lined. The 42-acre fire outside Scappoose highlights how dry conditions are for this time of year in northwest Oregon. |
SCAPPOOSE, Ore. – Oregon Department of Forestry firefighters have finished control lines around 100% of the Chapman Grange Road No. 1 Fire seven miles northwest of Scappoose. No more growth is expected on the fire, which has been mapped at 42 acres. On Monday morning firefighters burned out 3-4 acres to tie the fire
together.
together.
The fire was reported on Sunday afternoon , June 3 by a Life Flight helicopter taking a patient to Portland. Scappoose Rural Fire Protection District engaged in the initial attack before transferring the fire to ODF. Vernonia Rural Fire District assisted with a water tender. ODF’s Forest Grove Unit also supplied a water tender.
During the fire’s first
24 hours it actively spotted 30 to 50 feet in all directions ahead of
the flames, even on the backing side. It pushed more than 100 feet into the timber across 12-foot wide gravel roads before slowing down and burning in 5 to 6-foot
high green Douglas-fir trees.
During the fire’s first
24 hours it actively spotted 30 to 50 feet in all directions ahead of
the flames, even on the backing side. It pushed more than 100 feet into the timber across 12-foot wide gravel roads before slowing down and burning in 5 to 6-foot
high green Douglas-fir trees.
“Those young Douglas-firs and the green underbrush burned amazingly well for this
time of year. Multiple duffy stumps in the timber within 50 feet of the
control lines were receptive to embers. Once heated, fire spread to the
surrounding vegetation even at 1 a.m.,” said ODF’s Columbia City Unit Forester Malcolm Hiatt.
time of year. Multiple duffy stumps in the timber within 50 feet of the
control lines were receptive to embers. Once heated, fire spread to the
surrounding vegetation even at 1 a.m.,” said ODF’s Columbia City Unit Forester Malcolm Hiatt.
According to Hiatt, along streams the fire behaved normally for what fire managers would expect in June, but in all
other fuel types the fire acted like it was the second week of August. Across much of northwest Oregon, rainfall has been only a fraction of normal for May and early June, leading to fuel moisture levels that are at or near historic lows for this date.
Working on the fire today are one Type 6 engine from Astoria and one Type 6 engine from Columbia City along with two water tenders and 4 South Fork crews. ODF also has a log loader on order to help tear apart some landing piles.
Hiatt said firefighters hope to have 50 feet mopped in on all sides by the end
of shift Tuesday. Mop up will continue for the rest of the week with a
reduction in resources starting with Wednesday’s day shift. There have been no injuries or accidents and no structures were threatened by the fire.
of shift Tuesday. Mop up will continue for the rest of the week with a
reduction in resources starting with Wednesday’s day shift. There have been no injuries or accidents and no structures were threatened by the fire.