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Columbia River Gorge fire 90 percent contained

By Mark Bowder, Columbian Metro Editor
Published: August 7, 2015, 5:00pm

Federal, state and local fire crews report 90-percent containment of a 4.5 acre wildfire burning in the western Columbia River Gorge.

The fire, reported about 9 a.m., started just west of Smith-Cripe Road on national forest land within the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area, said U.S. Forest Service spokesman Stan Hinatsu.

The fire was burning in heavy brush and timber about a quarter mile uphill from state Highway 14, Hinatsu said. The smoke was visible south of the Columbia River from the Multnomah Falls area.

The fire, which has been named the Milepost 30 fire, was 50 percent contained as of about 4 p.m. It was 90 percent contained as of about 5:30 p.m.

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“We’ve made some good progress,” Hinatsu said. He said the fire is burning in a northeast direction, uphill and toward the east.

There were no structures threatened, and no evacuations required, he said.

A cause has not been determined, he said.

U.S. Forest Service crews are being assisted fighting the fire by a Washington Department of Natural Resources crew from Larch Mountain Corrections Center, as well as by DNR engine crews, the Skamania County Fire District and a crew from Cascade Locks, Ore.

“We also have two helicopters working the fire, making water drops, which has been a huge help,” Hinatsu said.

A post on the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area’s Twitter feed said a small crew will staff the fire tonight to patrol and finish mop-up ops.

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Columbian Metro Editor