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Eagle Creek Fire tops 35,000 acres burned; containment at 11 percent

The Eagle Creek Fire in the Columbia River Gorge has now burned 35,588 acres.

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By
FOX 12 Staff
CASCADE LOCKS, OR — The Eagle Creek Fire in the Columbia River Gorge has now burned 35,588 acres.

Crews monitoring the fire reported Tuesday morning that it was 11 percent contained. There are 905 people working on the fire.

The fire did not spread much overnight, but firefighters said they are concerned about westerly winds and more dry air.

Conditions Tuesday and Wednesday could result in increased fire behavior, but they are not expected to present a threat to Cascade Locks, where evacuation notices remain in place.

A cool, moist weather trend is expected for Thursday and Friday with low to moderate fire behavior in the forecast.

At this point, firefighters said they believe the fire is pretty well "maintained" with numerous burnouts and fire lines. Full containment, however, is still a ways off.

The Eagle Creek Fire has destroyed four homes and six outbuildings in the Warrendale and Dodson areas.

A shelter for evacuees has relocated from the Mt. Hood Community College campus to the Harvest Christian Church in Troutdale. The Red Cross reported that the number of people seeking shelter in Gresham has declined, but the initial shelter was also in the school's gym and it is now needed for students.

A shelter in Stevenson assisted 146 people Monday.

The Archer Mountain Fire, which is believed to have started from embers that jumped the river from the Eagle Creek Fire, is expected to be fully contained by the end of Tuesday's shift. It has burned 260 acres.

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