In Our View: Let Gorge Heal

The message should be clear: Stay out, or it could cost you.

Despite that simple directive, a disturbing number of people are trespassing upon areas that are beginning the painstaking recovery from last year’s Eagle Creek Fire. Officials reported last week that 49 people have been handed citations costing $280 apiece, and hundreds more have been let off with warnings.

Curiosity is understandable. The fire, which was sparked in early September, scorched about 77 square miles of beloved scenery, mostly on the Oregon side of the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area; by comparison, the Vancouver city limits encompass 50 square miles. Trees and brush have been burned away, and popular hiking trails have been devastated. The blaze delivered smoke and ash to Vancouver and Portland for weeks while altering one of the Northwest’s signature landscapes.

While it is tempting for self-styled adventurers to seek a close look at the damage, visitors should heed posted warnings. A popular viewing platform below Multnomah Falls remains closed and fenced off, and access to trails is prohibited. In many areas, officials say, there remains the possibility of landslides, falling trees, and tumbling rocks. Multnomah Falls Lodge reopened in late November, and areas near the lodge are expected to open within weeks. The Benson Bridge, popular for providing the best view of the falls, is expected to open this summer, but some trails throughout the area might be closed for up to five years.

In other words, patience is warranted as nature begins to rebuild itself. In October, John Bailey of Oregon State University’s Department of Forestry said, “It’s just not that big of an impact. We need to get beyond our fear of fire and the sense that fire, when it’s out in the forest, is unnatural and it destroys the forest. Yeah, it destroys trees and behaves in ways we don’t like but … most of this was actually good fire.”

Viewing the scene from a helicopter, Bailey estimated that about 7,300 acres were “highly burned,” and about half of the fire region received only minor damage. That did not stop Rep. Greg Walden, R-Ore., from introducing a bill in Congress to allow for clear-cutting of the area, even some places that are relatively unscathed. Walden’s bill (H.R. 3715) has attracted no co-sponsors and has not yet been considered in committee, but if it eventually passes, it could be more damaging for the Gorge than the fire itself.

The spark for the blaze, officials say, was a 15-year-old Vancouver boy throwing fireworks into a wooded gully. The suspect, whose name has not been publicly released, has been charged with reckless burning, criminal mischief, and other offenses, and he will make a court appearance Feb. 16 in Hood River, Ore.

The case has attracted much discussion about the nature of crime and punishment. Certainly, the teenager should be held accountable, but we would argue against the type of draconian measures some have advocated. Any punishment should include labor that benefits and beautifies forest areas that have been damaged by wildfires.

Although the Eagle Creek Fire was declared fully contained on Nov. 30, it continues to generate intense public interest — as is inevitable with the destruction of a landmark. But for those who feel compelled to visit the area, we have a suggestion: Follow the rules and stay out of restricted areas. The Gorge has suffered enough damage.