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Cloudy. High 73F. Winds NW at 10 to 15 mph..

Partly cloudy skies early will give way to cloudy skies late. Low 56F. Winds NW at 5 to 10 mph.

CRFR crews on the scene of the first brush fire in Rainier, Sunday, Aug. 14.

CRFR crews on the scene of the first brush fire in Rainier, Sunday, Aug. 14.

Local fire district officials are urging public awareness and caution about the mid-summer wildfire season following two brush fires in north Columbia County.

Columbia River Fire & Rescue (CRFR) rushed crews to the first blaze on Wonderly Road in Rainier Sunday afternoon, Aug. 14. Clatskanie Rural Fire Protection District firefighters also responded to assist.

The crews were quickly able to knock down the fire that was approximately 30-by-100 feet, according to CRFR.

A short time later, CRFR crews responded to a second brush fire on Meserve Road in Rainier.

The cause of both of the fires remained under investigation as of Monday, Aug. 15.

CRFR officials stress that open burning is banned in the county due to the wildfire danger.

Scappoose Rural Fire Protection District (SRFPD) Chief Jeff Pricher warned there is still a significant wildfire danger in Columbia County and throughout the Pacific Northwest. He said he is most concerned about additional significant summer heat waves.

“There is potential for large fire growth,” he said, “We did see a large amount of precipitation over spring and early this summer, and while there is still some moisture retained in the ground fuels moisture, with a lot of wind, increasing humidities and the steep terrain, which would allow fires to move quickly, we not out of the woods yet.”

Pritcher said fire agencies are taking a wait and see approach.

“We are just waiting to see what will happen next, but we are prepared,” he said.

Using a $35,000 state grant, the SRFPD has hired two additional firefighters to staff an additional brush engine for increased community protection.

“The two firefighters will be utilized Friday, Saturday and Sunday, able to respond over 12-hour periods during the day,” Pritcher said. “Historically, the majority of the fire starts that we have are human caused and more people are recreating and are out and about throughout the weekend.”

The CRFR brush rig crew has been on the job since earlier this month. Mist and Vernonia fire districts also received such a grant for additional fire protection.

Even with the stepped-up fire protection, Pritcher and other fire agency administrators caution that the public needs to be aware of the wildfire danger.

A ban on open burning debris was ordered July 11 by Columbia County Fire Districts.

The fire districts include Clatskanie Fire District, Mist-Birkenfeld Fire District, Vernonia Fire Distict, Columbia River Fire & Rescue, Scappoose Fire District, and the Oregon Department of Forestry.

The burn ban affects private, county, state, and local government lands within the fire districts of Columbia County’s boundaries. Open burning within the city limits of the fire districts are regulated by those local government entities.

The penalties for violating the open debris burning ban will vary by the authority having jurisdiction, and could include the cost of suppressing the fire, including the fire apparatus costs, water, foam usage, administrative time preparing the bill, and damage to equipment and employee costs of all the employees suppressing the fire and involved with the response, according to the SRFPD.

Pritcher said the best prevention plan is to be prepared for wildfire before it strikes. He urges residents to take steps to protect their homes and property, have and practice an escape plan, and to be ready to quickly leave their home or office if the danger escalates into evacuations.

He suggests following Ready, Set, Go!

Create and maintain defensible space and harden your home against flying embers.

Prepare your family and home ahead of time for the possibility of having to evacuate. Ensure you have a plan of what to take and where to go. Ask friends or relatives outside your area if you would be able to stay with them, should the need arise. Check with hotels, motels and campgrounds to learn if they are open.

Also get set by learning about your community’s response plan for each disaster and determine if these plans have been adapted because of COVID-19.

When wildfire strikes, go early for your safety. Closely follow emergency alerts.

Take the evacuation steps necessary to give your family and home the best chance of surviving a wildfire.

See additional fire safety prevention information online at the Oregon Fire Marshal’s office website. Call your local fire district or fire agency for more information.

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