Unattended campfire causes wildfire west of Parkdale

The fire was reported around 8 a.m. Monday and “it’s growing moderately,” McCafferty said mid-afternoon Monday. No structures are in the immediate vicinity.

“It’s been on level, open ground but the wind is pushing it into some steeper ground and denser timber,” McCafferty said. The fire is burning on land owned by the Weyerhauser timber company.

The fire started at an unofficial campsite just off the 1600 Road and Red Hill Road. McCafferty said Weyerhauser and ODF will investigate the scene, where “quite a bit of weekend party debris” was found. McCafferty said it appeared the campfire had not been completely doused.

Fire suppression is complicated by winds gusting from the west at 15-20 miles an hour. This caused 50-100-foot jumps in the fire, according to McCafferty.

He said, “if the winds calm, we can get a good attack on his in the morning the Responding are Parkdale Fire Department, Oregon Department of Forestry, and Weyerhauser employees. No injuries have been reported.

In addition to the ground attack, sorties have been made by planes carrying fire retardant, based out of Redmond, and water-bearing “fire seat” planes, and a helicopter, out of Dallesport.