More than 100 firefighters on Sunday tried to tame the 60-acre Hilltop Fire in the Yacolt Burn State Forest, and by nightfall officials said the fire was about 28 percent contained.
Sunday was cursed with 98-degree heat but blessed with light winds compared to the 30-mph gusts on Saturday.
No homes were in danger as the -nearest houses are 2.7 miles to the south near the Jones Creek -Campground, said Seth Barnes with the state Department of Natural Resources.
The fire is on Larch Mountain, which is 10 miles east of Hockinson. Firefighters are working steep terrain four miles east of the Larch Corrections Center. Two firefighting crews are from Larch.
Two DNR helicopters and a DNR plane were dropping water and retardant on the ridge off the L1500 forest road.
The land is mostly owned by Longview Timber, Barnes said.
“We’re still in what we call the initial attack mode,” Barnes said Sunday afternoon. “We don’t have a fire line around the fire.”
Six fire engine crews and three water tenders were working on the fire, Barnes said. Besides water, firefighters were using shovels, axes, pulaskies, hoes and chain saws to try to stop the blaze.
Those firefighters were working 14-hour shifts, Barnes said. “Hydration is one of our primary concerns,” he said, adding firefighters were provided bottles of water.
The tower of smoke, which could be seen from many parts of Clark County on Saturday, was drawing interest from people on the many recreational roads in the area on Sunday.
“Saturday it was torching,” Barnes said. “It was burning up 60- to 70-foot trees.”
Barnes said it would takes days to contain the blaze.
“It’s really steep,” he said. “There’s reports of cliffs in this fire. It’s very rocky and with the jackpots of fuel, it makes it difficult … to completely extinguish the fire.”
He said the fire was burning Douglas fir, maple and alder trees and lots of shrubs.
While trails in the area are open, Barnes was asking people to stay away from the fire.
Crews fighting the fire are from Clark County Fire District 3, the DNR, Clark County Sheriff’s Office, Southwest Washington Type 3 All Hazard Incident Management Team, and Larch and Cedar Creek corrections facilities.
Water was coming from the Larch Corrections Center and Lacamas Lake, Barnes said.
The cause was unknown and an investigator is on the scene.
The command center is in Hockinson High School.
“Our firefighters appreciate the hospitality of the Hockinson community as we assist the local Clark County Fire District 3 with response to this fire,” said DNR Incident Commander Andy Aschenbrenner.
