The Banks Fire District stopped a small brush fire north of Banks Thursday evening.
In the Banks area, 505 Portland General Electric (PGE) customers were without power, according to the utility company’s outage map.
A West Oregon Electric Co-op customer on Hayward & Cedar Canyon Roads said the utility had told customers more than 200 of their meters had also been affected.
In an email to the Banks Post, a customer of West Oregon Electric Co-op on Hayward & Cedar Canyon Roads said the utility informed them that more than 200 WOEC meters had also been affected.
According to Banks Fire Public Information Officer Scott Adams, the fire was estimated to be at less than an acre on Elk Mountain Road.
By 5:30 p.m., the district had battled the blaze and brought it under control, allowing PGE crews to access the area to repair damaged electric infrastructure. Adams said Banks Fire crews were packing up their equipment and leaving.
“This is a great example of “see something, say something,” Adams said. “A passerby first reported a small fire on the side of the road. Because this was reported very early we were able to get a jump on it and get it contained quickly,” he added.
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Adams urged area residents to heed an active countywide burn ban.
The fire burned in an area bordering Oregon Department of Forestry-protected forestland, which was raised to “high” fire danger Thursday morning.
“No backyard burning. No burn barrels. No open fires,” Adams said.
Those grilling for the holiday weekend can grill away.
“BBQ grills are still okay. Please be extra diligent as it gets hot the next couple of days,” Adams said.
“We would like to thank Tualatin Valley Fire and Rescue North Plains for providing coverage and backup, Hillsboro Fire for sending a water tender, State Forestry for sending an attack engine, and Washington County Sheriff for sending deputies for scene and traffic control,” Adams said.
This story has been updated with further information from the Banks Fire District and eyewitness reports of additional power outages.
Chas Hundley is the editor of the Banks Post and sister news publications the Gales Creek Journal and the Salmonberry Magazine. He grew up in Gales Creek and has a cat.
