PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — A hotspot in the Eagle Creek Fire area unexpectedly flared up Tuesday morning. Fortunately, crews were able to put it out.
On Wednesday, the US Forest Service took KOIN 6 News a mile and a half into the Herman Creek Trail, not far from where an ember flared up into a bigger fire which then consumed the surrounding trees. It took more than a dozen firefighters to take it out.
Fire management officer with USFS, Bart Kicklighter said, “”It was a good 3-4 hours of work.”
Forest Service crews hiked to the hotspot, found a water source and lined up a fire hose — all the way down — to soak the fire with water. They created a safety line around it to prevent the hotspot from spreading.
“Even though we had several inches of rain and pretty good snow this winter, the fire was big enough and there was plenty of large downed logs, to where there’s plenty more embers when they hit the right wind and temperature, they will start to burn that log again until it comes to surface,” Kicklighter told KOIN 6 News.
Many parts of the Herman Creek Trail were burned from the Eagle Creek Fire — which actually helped with this particular hotspot.
EXCLUSIVE: On our way to the hotspot. One that flared up from the Eagle Creek Fire despite a snowy winter and several inches of rain in the spring. pic.twitter.com/65IRcAic5p— Eileen Park (@EileenParkTV) May 30, 2018
“Most of the organic matter was already burned,” Kicklighter said. “The area is still within the closure, so the public isn’t here. We were able to keep this to half an acre.”
However, many trees in the area can still be harboring leftover embers from the fire.
“There’s bound to be more secret embers out there,” Kicklighter said.
USFS said if anyone sees them, they’re encouraged to call 911 and report it. As Pacific Northwest approaches fire season, hikers should be mindful when hiking around the Gorge and have an emergency plan.