The Dalles Chronicle Local News

By Rodger Nichols and Kathy Gray
The Chronicle
     A fire that started on steep terrain near a microwave site between Hood River and Mosier Thursday night had grown to approximately 500 acres by 8 a.m. Friday morning, and threatened 12 homes on Proctor Road near Mosier, according to Stan Hinatsu, a spokesman for the U.S. Forest Service. He said one barn had been lost to the fire and the 12 threatened homes had been evacuated.
     The fire cut power to the town of Mosier.
     Brent Foster’s home is about a quartermile from the fire line and he watched what were apparently two outbuildings burn from his home last night.
     “It was apparently a pole barn and maybe another outbuilding,” Foster said. “Unbelievably, the fire came right up to the wooden wall (of the house).”
A number of luxury homes are located in the fire zone, Foster said.
     “It looks like the winds have calmed and the fire has calmed some from last night,” he said, “still, there are a lot of hot spots and the wind’s really supposed to start cranking by noon today. It seems like they have a narrow window to get things under control again.”
     Foster hadn’t evacuated this morning, but said the risk to his and other homes continues and evacuation is a possibility.
     “I think everybody’s ready to,” he said. “Everyone has their cars packed.”
     Farther away in the Mosier area, Suzi Conklin was also feeling some effects from the fire.
     “We’re at least 15 miles across from it and we had smoke in the house last night,” she said. Shops in downtown Mosier, without power, were closed when she tried to contact them. Conklin said TV station vans and other media were camped in downtown Mosier.
     More than 100 firefighters were on the scene Friday morning, including units from Hood River, Pine Grove, Mosier, Mid-Columbia Fire & Rescue, Dallesport, the U.S. Forest Service and the Oregon Department of Forestry.
Water-dipping helicopters are en route to the scene and a Forestry Department incident team to manage the fire is expected to arrive this afternoon.
     “Because it’s the gorge, we’re expecting stiff west winds today,” Hinatsu said. “We’re hoping to knock it down as much as possible this morning before they start,” he said.
     The five mile stretch of old highway between Hood River and the Mosier twin tunnels had been closed to hikers and bikers.
     “I know people are going to want to be gawking as they drive down the freeway,” Hinatsu said. “We’re asking drivers to keep their eyes on the road and not to pull off on side of the freeway.”
     He said there had been no formal determination of cause. “Obviously, it’s not lightning, so we can rule that out, but it’s under investigation.”