80 Ground Crew Fight Game Hog Creek Fire

More helicopters on the way to help with the Game Hog Creek Fire

ODF firefighter Dillon Neumann scouts steep terrain looking for places to put in a containment line on the Game Hog Creek Fire. Photo: ODF

(FOREST GROVE, Ore.) - Steep terrain where the Game Hog Creek Fire is burning in the Tillamook State Forest has made it difficult for firefighters to deepen their control lines encircling the fire. Yesterday the fire pushed through those lines to burn three more acres.

A helicopter has been helping with air drops of water onto the fire. It will be joined by another helicopter today, with an additional helicopter also expected on Saturday.

The water they drop will help cool hot spots so that embers in the interior of the fire have less chance of being blown across control lines.

About 80 ground crew remain engaged on the wildfire, which is entirely within the state forest in timber and slash. Their goal today is to extend control lines down to Elk Creek.

Cooler air from the ocean has moved over the fire today, which should aid firefighters.

The Tillamook State Forest remains open to visitors with the exception of Drift Creek and Idiot Creek forest roads and the Fear and Loaming mountain bike trail. These are closed due to fire activity in the area. Rogers Camp trailhead is being used as a staging area for firefighters and is also closed to the public.

Highway 6 and 26 to the coast remain open and unaffected by the fire. No evacuations are associated with this fire.

Cause of the fire is still under investigation.

Source: Oregon Dept. of Forestry