Residents on Columbia View Heights watch as a fire grows to the south. The fire was reported late Thursday afternoon on Valley View Drive, located on the southeast edge of The Dalles and at the right side of the photograph. As of 4:30 p.m. Highway 197 was closed to traffic as the fire was reported to have crossed the highway south of the city.
A Fire Boss aircraft out of Yakima drops water on a hot spot along Highway 197 Thursday, where the fire jumped the the highway near Fivemile Creek. The highway was closed to traffic as firefighters worked to stop the fire's spread, which they held to under 1,000 acres.
Residents on Columbia View Heights watch as a fire grows to the south. The fire was reported late Thursday afternoon on Valley View Drive, located on the southeast edge of The Dalles and at the right side of the photograph. As of 4:30 p.m. Highway 197 was closed to traffic as the fire was reported to have crossed the highway south of the city.
A resident of Columbia View Heights, The Dalles, watches as a fire grows to the south. The fire was reported around 3:30 p.m., Thursday afternoon. No homes were lost to the fire.
A Fire Boss aircraft drops water on a hot spot above Benson Road south of The Dalles late Thursday afternoon.
Firefighters watch air drops from Benson Road south of The Dalles. More than 100 firefighters battled the fire, which burned 987 acres.
Firefighters gather on Benson Road south of The Dalles late Thursday afternoon. More than 100 firefighters battled the fire, which burned 987 acres.
Firefighters gather along Benson Road south of The Dalles. More than 100 firefighters battled the fire, which burned 987 acres.
A Fire Boss aircraft out of Yakima drops water on a hot spot along Highway 197 Thursday, where the fire jumped the the highway near Fivemile Creek. The highway was closed to traffic as firefighters worked to stop the fire's spread, which they held to under 1,000 acres.
A farmer plows a fire line at the edge of a wheat field along Highway 197.
A home on the east side of the fire, along Highway 197, stands surrounded by burnt ground and enveloped in smoke but survived the unburnt. The fire damaged one barn, several outbuildings, multiple vehicles and a portion of a cherry orchard.
The Valley View Fire (also called the Sunset Valley Fire) burned an estimated 987 acres southeast of The Dalles on Thursday evening, July 1, 2021.
The fire was first reported around 3:45 p.m. on the 3100 block of Valley View Drive near The Dalles. Strong winds pushed the fire, which was burning in mostly brush and wheat, in a southeast direction, forcing evacuations and road closures. The fire damaged one barn, several outbuildings, multiple vehicles and a portion of a cherry orchard.
Firefighters were able to protect the homes in the area and no injuries have been reported.
Mid-Columbia Fire and Rescue was the lead agency for the response. The Oregon State Fire Marshal temporarily reassigned task forces from the Wrentham Market Fire while coordinating air attack from Oregon Department of Forestry resources. This decision, along with mutual aid from neighboring fire districts, was critical in stopping the rapidly advancing fire.
“Without the resources, we had today, including the three additional task forces and air support from OSFM, we would not have stopped it as quickly and the fire would have grown much larger,” said Mid-Columbia Fire and Rescue Chief Robert Palmer. “What the state is doing is working. We were able to better protect properties with their assistance and support.”
Parts of Highway 197 south of The Dalles were closed Thursday evening, but are now open.
In all, more than 100 firefighters were part of the initial attack. Responding agencies included Mid-Columbia Fire, Dallesport Fire, Dufur Fire, Mosier Fire, taskforces from Multnomah, Washington, Yamhill, and Hood River, Bureau of Land Management, and the US Forest Service. The Dalles Police, Wasco County Sheriff, Oregon State Police, and Oregon Department of Oregon Transport also assisted on scene.
Today’s forecast calls for increased afternoon winds, although the winds are not forecast to be as strong compared to recent days. An Excessive Heat Warning remains in place and low relative humidity will persist.
Taskforces from Marion, Yamhill, Multnomah and Linn Counties will spend the day mopping up hot spots, monitoring the perimeter of the fire, and expanding the defensible space around homes.
The Wasco County Sheriff’s Office issued several evacuations due to the fast-moving flames. Follow the Wasco County Sheriff’s Office for the latest evacuation information. Local residents can also sign up to receive future emergency notifications through the county.
Due to the dynamic nature of this new incident the fire was originally mislabeled as the Sunnyside Valley Fire.
Information from the News and our advertisers (Want to add your business to this to this feed?)
Success! An email has been sent to with a link to confirm list signup.
Error! There was an error processing your request.
Sign up to receive notifications when a new Columbia Gorge News e-Edition is published.
Would you like to receive our news updates? Signup today!
Receive weekly updates on obituaries and death notices.
Oregon Capital Press presented by Columbia Gorge News
Receive updates on upcoming promotions and special sections.
Receive weekly updates on local sports news.
Sorry, there are no recent results for popular videos.
Sorry, an error occurred.
Already Subscribed!
Cancel anytime
Thank you .
Your account has been registered, and you are now logged in.
Check your email for details.
Submitting this form below will send a message to your email with a link to change your password.
An email message containing instructions on how to reset your password has been sent to the email address listed on your account.
No promotional rates found.
Secure & Encrypted
Thank you.
Your gift purchase was successful! Your purchase was successful, and you are now logged in.
| Rate: | |
| Begins: | |
| Transaction ID: |
A receipt was sent to your email.
Commented