The dry conditions allowed a fire to spread fast in West Linn Saturday afternoon.
Firefighters were called to a shed and arborvitae that were burning near Dollar Street and 16th Street.
The fire had quickly spread to the eves and attic of an adjacent townhome. Due to the size of the fire that had now threatened at least one home, the call was upgraded to a second alarm to bring in adequate resources to battle the fast-moving fire.
Crews immediately began an aggressive fire attack, while additional incoming firefighters assisted with searching for occupants in the adjacent homes. Fortunately, everyone had safely evacuated.
It took approximately 45 minutes for firefighters to gain control of the fire. Due to excessive hot temperatures and rapid work required to fight the quick-moving fire, the call was upgraded to a third alarm to bring in even more resources. Firefighters from additional TVF&R stations and mutual aid neighboring fire departments assisted in cycling crews in and out of operations to prevent heat exhaustion.
One adult was displaced from the affected townhome. Three adults, two children and one dog were displaced from the home adjacent to the shed and arborvitae. Red Cross will assist with providing temporary housing and any other essential needs.
A TVF&R investigator is currently on scene working to determine the cause of the fire, which is unknown at this time.