Columbia River Gorge trails closed by wildfire

Two popular trails in the Columbia River Gorge are temporarily closed due to a wildfire about 50 miles east of Vancouver, Gorge officials said Monday.

The Dog Mountain and Augspurger trails are closed because of the nearby Dog Falls fire, which had burned 2.5 acres as of Monday afternoon. The fire is on a ridge above state Highway 14 near Milepost 59, west of Dog Creek, and was visible to motorists, officials said.

The affected trails were cleared, and signs posted at the trailhead inform visitors of the closures, according to the U.S. Forest Service.

Steep terrain made the fire difficult to reach, but crews used a helicopter to drop water on the flames Monday, said public information officer Bernie Pineda. Local responders and a Hotshot crew also were working to gain access and decide how to contain it, he said.

The fire started Sunday night, and its cause is unknown, Pineda said. No structures or people were threatened, he added.

Both trails will remain closed until further notice.

Another fire 14 miles farther east, near the Chamberlain Lake Rest Area, caused some traffic delays along Highway 14 on Monday, but that fire was under control by evening, according to the Washington State Department of Transportation.