Saturday afternoon, firefighters were dispatched to a report of smoke in the area in the 17900 block of Southwest Scholls Ferry Rd. in Washington County, just west of Beaverton. Firefighters from Cooper Mountain Station 69 responded to the incident and could see a large column of smoke in route to the scene. Upon arrival, firefighters found a 3-acre brush fire to the south of the reported address.
Crews immediately worked to access the area. Due to the terrain and location, additional firefighters from TVF&R were dispatched to the scene. The initial fire was burning approximately three acres, growing to four acres in thick brush and recently cut trees. Fire crews began to attack the fire from several sides and after 3 hours, the fire was brought under control. In total, 20 firefighters responded to this incident. Additionally, a bulldozer was brought to the scene to help to create a fire break around the fire.
Due to the location of the fire, which included an area without fire hydrants, firefighters had to shuttle water to the scene to supply smaller four-wheel-drive vehicles that were used to access difficult areas.
The cause of the fire is undetermined.
TVF&R and Clackamas Fire District #1 have asked the public to voluntarily stop outdoor burning to help protect vulnerable populations during the COVID-19 pandemic. In support of the statewide initiative by the Department of Environmental Quality, Oregon State Fire Marshal, and Oregon Department of Forestry, this effort aims to reduce the negative impact of additional smoke in our region.
Source: Tualatin Valley Fire and Rescue