August 21, 2022 15:40
Just after 1:30p this afternoon, Portland Fire & Rescue units were dispatched to the WB lanes of Hwy 26 for a car fire. Upon arrival, crews found the fire from the car had extended to the dry grass nearby and was travelling up the steep terrain. The call was upgraded to a “Wildland Box” which added additional fire units to include two Water Tenders and two Brush Units. Crews accessed roads above the fire and were able to get a stop on the fire allowing crews to hike down and check for any hot spots. The location and need to get equipment to the scene caused the freeway to be shut down for an extended period of time and Fire Command worked with ODOT to reopen the freeway as quickly as possible. The total size of the area burned is still being determined, however the incident has been recalled with crews returning in-service and no injuries reported. The cause of the original vehicle fire has not yet been determined.
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