By SUE RYAN
News staff writer
July 30, 2007

Pine Grove Rural Fire Department was the first agency on scene Friday for the 12-acre Koberg fire near Hood River at milepost 65, which was fully contained Sunday night.

“We’re on patrol status today (Monday),” said Stan Hinatsu, spokesman for the U.S. Forest Service’s Columbia Gorge National Scenic Area.

While the fire burned on Forest Service and state forestry land, they didn’t come onto the scene until Friday evening. The initial response took place just before 5 p.m. Friday.

Pine Grove and Odell Fire Chief Greg Borton said most of the crews were relieved at 11 p.m. Friday night. But Pine Grove brush rig 6-4 and Odell tender rig 3-8 stayed until Saturday morning. Borton also called in engines from fire departments at Hood River, Odell and West Side.

The fire shut down the east lane of Interstate 84, access to the Mosier Twin Tunnels, the Historic Columbia River Highway State Trail east of Highway 35 and restricted access to the Ken Jernstedt Airfield in Hood River. As of Sunday night, all restrictions had been lifted.

The fire burned in a mix of state and federal lands through Douglas fir trees and underbrush. Hinatsu said while the fire also forced a shutdown of the Pacific Power and Light electric lines and Union Pacific Railroad, there was no damage to that infrastructure.

“It burned underneath the lines but no lines were affected,” Hinatsu said.

The Wasco and Hood River counties sheriff’s offices evacuated the trailheads Friday night and monitored their closure.

Hinatsu said response to the fire was a great example of coordination between multiple agencies and jurisdictions.

“Like most fires in the Gorge it’s always a multi-agency effort,” Hinatsu said.

The fire began when an eastbound car towing a trailer lost a wheel, which caused a spark to jump onto dry grass near the roadside.

“They actually tried to stop the fire but the wind caught it and it raced up the hillside,” Borton said.

The firefighting efforts involved using Washington Department of Natural Resources helicopters to dump retardant.