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Crews make progress against fire in the Gorge

By Dave Kern
Published: August 30, 2010, 12:00am

A wildfire in the Columbia River Gorge could be contained within three days, a fire official said Sunday night.

“There’s very little smoke coming up. We’re starting to release crews,” Stan Berco-vitz, information officer for the Highway 8 Complex fire, said.

“There’s a lot more confidence today, and there’s the feeling that we’re turning the corner,” Bercovitz added.

He said rain Saturday night helped but westerly winds up to 20 mph Sunday slowed progress and kept planes from flying.

No one has been injured and no structures have been lost since a barn and two outbuildings were destroyed days ago near Lyle, Bercovitz said.

The 2040-acre fire has been fought by 712 firefighters. Some 40 homes were evacuated but residents were allowed back on Saturday night.

Only Fisher Hill Road, which runs directly through the fire area, remained closed from Highway 142 to Johnson Road. Restrictions on use of the lower 10 miles of the Klickitat River were lifted.

Fire officials met with area residents Sunday night at Lyle High School. Bercovitz said Incident Commander Rex Reed told people that crews soon would “be out of their hair.”

The fire has been fought by 16 crews, four helicopters, 35 fire engines, six bulldozers and six water tenders.

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