Eagle Creek fire spreads, evacutions ordered at Cascade Lock

Published 12:00 am Saturday, September 2, 2017

The Hood River Sheriff’s Office ordered 130 residents of Cascade Locks to evacuate Sunday morning after a fire near the Eagle Creek Trail erupted near the already-burning Indian Creek Trail, sending a massive plume of smoke and visible bright flames over the Columbia River Gorge.

Hikers and campers in the area were also ordered to evacuate. Three had to be rescued from the area by a Blackhawk helicopter.

A reunification site for family and friends of those evacuated has been established at the Cascade Salmon Fish Hatchery, located at the head of the Eagle Creek Trail.

A U.S. Forest Service spokeswoman said about 140 hikers were safely away from the fire and sheltered in place at Tunnel Falls overnight Saturday. The National Guard airdropped supplies to them. The group, which was caught at the falls between two of the fires, was expected to hike out Sunday morning.

Pacific Northwest Search and Rescue and Mountain Wave SAR are assisting with evacuations, including the three rescued by helicopter.

“We were hiking Old Highway and an officer came zooming down and told us to evacuate,” Art Kohn told KOIN 6 News. Another camper, Noah Clark, said, “We just go out and we see all this smoke billowing out and thought, ‘Oh my God, this is really close to our campsite.'”

The situation turned critical just after 5:30 p.m. on Saturday afternoon, Sept. 2. That was when the HRCSO announced that it had received multiple reports of a wildfire on or near the Eagle Creek Trail in Cascade Locks.

The reports indicated that hikers were on the trail above the fire, attempting to evade the smoke.

Cascade Locks Fire and The U.S. Forest Service responded, along with other agencies.

The HRCSO and U.S. Forest Service were able to contact three primary groups of hikers who were in the area of the fire. A group of three persons, who had been in the most difficult location, were airlifted by the Oregon National Guard and were safely returned to the trailhead.

The second group of approximately fourteen, who were accompanied by U.S. Forest Service security personnel, were able to hike out of the area to the south, and returned to the Eagle Creek Trailhead by late evening.

The third group — approximately a hundred and forty hikers — elected to shelter in place through the night, and hike out in Sunday morning with the light. This group was safely away from the fire, and multiple agencies have coordinated to get supplies to the group.

The HRCSO’s evacuation order reads as follows:

“Due to overnight fire activity, the city of Cascade Locks is under evacuation orders. The south-west portion of the city is under Level Three evacuation, affecting approximately 130 homes. A Level Three evacuation means that residents need to leave immediately. Those residents have been notified either in person by law enforcement or through Everbridge notifications. The rest of the city is under Level Two and Level One evacuation orders.

“A Red Cross Shelter has been set up at the Skamania County Fairgrounds, immediately across the Columbia River in Stevenson, Washington. Specific information can be obtained by calling 541-387-6941, and that information will be updated periodically throughout the day. Those with emergencies should call 911.”

KOIN 6 News contributed to this story. You can follow their coverage at http://koin.com.