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At about 12:50 p.m. Thursday, firefighters from Tualatin Valley Fire & Rescue were dispatched to a report of a tree and fence on fire in the 1500 block of Southwest 201st Avenue in Aloha. As fire crews were responding to the scene, they noted a large column of black smoke in the area and requested the incident by upgraded to a full first-alarm fire.
Multiple callers to 911 indicated the fire was spreading quickly and a nearby house had started on fire.
When firefighters from Aloha Station 62 arrived, they found one house heavily involved in fire, with an adjacent house also beginning to burn. The cedar shake roof of a nearby third home also caught fire as embers from the two burning homes traveled through the air. Due to the extreme fire conditions, coupled with the high heat and low humidity, a third alarm was eventually called to bring additional resources to the scene. Firefighters worked for more than 40 minutes to control the three fires and protect nearby exposures from becoming involved.
Firefighters contended with extreme heat and low humidity as they battled these fires, all while wearing close to 90 pounds of protective clothing and gear. Rehab units responded to the scene to ensure firefighters were kept hydrated and cool during firefighting operations.
Firefighters did evaluate an adult male on scene for minor burns. The man refused additional treatment. Initial reports about a child having burns were inaccurate.
Fire investigators are currently on scene working to determine the cause of the fire.