Although heavy winds continued into Wednesday, Clark County’s fire officials said conditions had calmed. Still, staff were ready for a third day of multiple blazes.
Two of the most notable fires from earlier in the week were 100 percent contained, or under control and not expected to grow, by Wednesday morning, according to a state Department of Natural Resources spokesman.
Around noon Wednesday, Vancouver fire crews were responding to two brush or grass fires. A power line fell and ignited a grass fire in the 2200 block of Broadway. The damaged line threatened a nearby residence, but firefighters said a single fire engine could handle the call, according to emergency radio traffic monitored at The Columbian.
Multiple resources were requested to respond to Northwest Lower River Road and West Fourth Plain Boulevard for a brush fire at the same time, according to radio traffic. Crews cleared from the scene in 21 minutes.
Agencies around the county responded to at least five other potential fires within the next hour. Most were extinguished quickly, according to radio traffic.
A brush fire that started Tuesday afternoon off of Fruit Valley Road in west Vancouver burned a total of 166 acres, said Thomas Kyle-Milward, a spokesman for the Department of Natural Resources.
Fire crews were dispatched at 2:32 p.m. to 4808 N.W. Fruit Valley Road and La Frambois Road for a brush fire with exposure. The address is associated with Frito Lay, and witnesses said plumes of smoke rising from behind the building could be seen from other parts of the city.
The fire is contained, but firefighters continued to work in the area Wednesday to cool hot spots and ensure the fire did not re-ignite, Kyle-Milward said. Investigators have not determined the exact cause, he said.
A total of 16 units and 34 personnel battled the blaze, between the Vancouver and Washougal fire departments, Clark County Fire District 6, Clark County Fire & Rescue and the Department of Natural Resources, according to a news release from the Vancouver Fire Department.
The Department of Natural Resources deployed a helicopter to drop water on the fire. Roadblocks were set up to bar access to Frenchman’s Bar and Vancouver Lake as a precaution, and crews worked to prevent the fire from jumping over Northwest Lower River Road by dousing the shoulder of the road with water, according to radio traffic.
State officials also responded to Washougal River Road, just past Milepost 5, for a wildfire. A Department of Natural Resources incident commander on scene Tuesday said the fire started Monday night and was likely sparked by a downed power line.
The fire burned a total of 8 acres, Kyle-Milward said. By Wednesday morning, a fire line had been dug around the entire blaze. It was reported to be 50 percent controlled and not expected to grow due to the line, he said.
“It’s not going anywhere,” Kyle-Milward said.
Chief Mike Carnes of East County Fire and Rescue, one of the main agencies to respond to the Washougal River Road fire, said rough weather in the Columbia River Gorge including shifting winds were to blame for the “very exciting day” on Tuesday.
East County firefighters responded to 17 calls Tuesday. The agency generally responds to 2 1/2 calls per day, according to the chief.
Clark County Fire & Rescue Chief John Nohr said his crews spent Monday and Tuesday providing support to neighboring agencies, as well as responding to various small fires caused by downed power lines in their coverage area.
From Monday morning until Tuesday morning, Clark County Fire & Rescue firefighters responded to 42 incidents. Over the same 24-hour period until 7 a.m. Wednesday, they responded to 29 incidents, Nohr said. The agency typically responds to a dozen calls each day, he said.
Two additional units were staffed to help with the uptick early this week. One additional unit was staffed for Wednesday.
