The Oregon Department of Forestry said the Lee Falls Fire was 100% lined Friday night, keeping the fire at 280 acres.
ODF took command of the fire Friday, the agency said.
Dozer and hand lines were built by ODF crews, private contract companies, and inmates from the South Fork Forest Camp as air support dumped Hagg Lake water on the fire for most of Friday afternoon and evening.
“With control lines established around the fire, and many areas plumbed with fire hose, the arduous process of mop up begins,” ODF said. “Mop up is the process of cooling the perimeter of the fire to reduce the chance of spot fires or heat from the perimeter igniting dry vegetation outside the fire line. Once there is sufficient cooling from the outer edge of the control line and the perimeter is cold and black a sufficient distance from the line, it’s then considered a containment line.”
Firefighters from Washington, Yamhill, Marion and Tillamook Counties worked with wildland firefighters to protect homes and completed mop up on flames that had come within 100 feet of houses on Nixon and Oak Roads in Cherry Grove.
“All other homes in the areas have been triaged with surface preparations completed,” ODF said, noting that not a single home or structure had been damaged by the fire.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation.
Aiding the efforts of firefighters in the area are deputies with the Washington County Sheriff’s Office, who’ve aided in communications, patrols, and managed evacuation decisions and notifications.
“The safety and well-being of residents and the community remain top priority,” a press release noted.
Evacuation Updates
Some areas of Cherry Grove have been reduced to level 2 evacuation notices. Level 3 evacuation notice is still in effect on SW Summit Avenue and SW Lee Falls Road. If you access your residence off either of these roads, a level 3 evacuation notice is still in effect. This includes SW Nixon Drive, SW Oak Street, and SW Peach Street.
The Washington County Sheriff’s Office will maintain a police presence in the area, and fire crews will continue working throughout the night. Thank you for your continued patience as crews work to make the area safe. It is crucial for the public to adhere to the evacuation directives still in place and stay out of the area to ensure the roads remain clear and accessible for fire apparatuses and other essential responders.
The latest evacuation levels can be found on the Sheriff’s Facebook page or look up your address and check your evacuation status.
Evacuees needing shelter can head to Gaston’s New Life Church at 202 Church Street. Household pets are allowed at the location, though pet owners should bring crates and other pet supplies if they are available.
Community members can contact the Red Cross at 1-800-733-2767 or 503-284-1234 for updated shelter information.
Evacuated livestock from the Lee Falls Fire can be transported to Westside Commons/Washington County Fairgrounds.
“Unfortunately, we cannot accept livestock from neighboring counties at this location,” a press release read.
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.
