PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — Clark County Sheriff’s officials have confirmed to KOIN 6 News they are looking for four people believed to have started the Nakia Creek fire with fireworks.
Investigators say that a witness captured video on Oct. 9, the day the wildfire broke out, of two men and two women shooting off pyrotechnics around 3:30 p.m.
This comes after the Clark County Fire Marshal revealed it was searching for a vehicle of interest.
The fire marshal’s office on Monday released a cell phone video taken about the same time the fire began. The video was taken on a ridge near where the Nakia Creek Fire began on Larch Mountain.
Assistant Fire Marshal Curtis Eavenson said officials are looking for a “white or light-colored Subaru vehicle” and believe “there were two men and two women connected with this vehicle.”
“I’d like to reach out to the individuals, if they recognize themselves as that being their vehicle, and where they are out there, please give us a call and let’s sort this out…feel free to call us and let’s talk,” Eavenson said.
As of Wednesday morning, the human-caused wildfire is still raging across Clark County. Officials estimate it now stretches across 1,869 acres while containment remains at 12 percent.
On Wednesday, Clark County Sheriff’s Office downgraded some evacuation zones with 98 people at Level 3 “Go Now” evacuation levels and more than 1,400 people at Level 2 “Be set” evacuation levels.
“There’s various intensities throughout the fire area,” said ODF Deputy Incident Commander Dave Larson. “We’re not out of the woods yet there’s still work to be done on this fire.”
ODF said 500 personnel are working on the fire.
On Wednesday, crews were able to use air support units, unlike on Wednesday when thick smoke and fog made it too dangerous to fly.
Larson and other ODF officials told KOIN 6 News they’re cautiously optimistic as they wait for rain that’s forecasted Friday.
“It really is a catch-22 for us, while it does help actually put out the fire, it does create some hazardous conditions when it comes to the potential for mudslides a lot of these roads aren’t paved or even gravel,” said Natalie Weber of ODF.
Anyone with any information about the vehicle or the people is urged to call the Clark County Fire Marshal’s Office at 564.397.3320.