Mailboxes on Riordan Hill Rd.
“I think it’s kind of hurtful when Portland people call it a playground, because it’s our home,” said Nikki McMinn, who works in a Hood River restaurant. She grew up in Hood River. “There needs to be a level of respect when people are losing their homes. I understand why people love the Gorge, but at the end of the day it’s still our home, and it’s not a playground. It’s a place where people live and love living here.”
Gary and Irene Fields live on the west outskirts of the City of Hood River. And inside the east end of the Eagle Creek Fire Level 1 evacuation zone. Gary mowed and irrigated the dry grassy expanse around their property, cut brush, and limbed up the conifers. They filled their 12,000 gallon swimming pool, ran sprinklers on their roof, took photos of every room.
Gary and Irene Fields’ place
“We’re as ready as we can be,” Gary said.
“We’re not nervous yet. We don’t have a huge fear of losing everything,” Irene said. “If it happened, we wouldn’t be devastated. If we get a Level 2 notice, we’ll pack up the car with what we really want to save and get out.”
Like an advancing army, firefighters and engines are stationed on roads in the Level 1 zone: Hood River Valley’s line of defense. Roads going into the zone are blocked. All Hood River County lands are closed. Clackamas Fire and EMS firefighters and their engines are stationed on one of those spots, Riordan Hill Road. They said that Incident Command planned to burn out areas west of Hood River towards the fire creating a fire break for the valley, but humidity on Saturday morning was 86 percent, too high for a burn out. One of the crew said, “A burn out is a good thing.”
Behind them, another army is advancing through the orchards that cover the valley. It’s harvest time for the valley’s famous pears.
Heidi Logosz arrived at fire command center Saturday afternoon at the fairgrounds in Odell with grocery bags filled with toiletries and snacks. The Cascade 1A fire crew on a short break started a pick-up soccer game on the grass lanes between rows of fires engines. The game had barely begun when they were called to go up to Lost Lake to clear brush. Another precaution.
On Monday morning the air in town is clearer. The fire has slowed. The wind is calmer. The evacuation levels have not been lifted, but have not increased.
[/media-credit] Fire crew staging area in Odell
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Good story and I love Nikki’s comment about the Gorge is more than a playground but also, home.
Nice story and great info.
Yes, very definitely home.