Dollar Lake Forest Fire

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AIR DATE: Wednesday, September 7th 2011

POSTED BY: ALEX JOHNSON

Download the mp3 for this show.

Fire-colored sunrise over the Willamette River

If you watched the sunrise from Portland this morning, you probably noticed a vibrant red glow in the sky. That color came from smoke from the Dollar Lake forest fire on the north slope of Mt. Hood. The fire was started by a lightning strike on August 26. It has since grown to 4,480 acres.

The fire is now 20 percent contained. It's three miles away from the Bull Run watershed, which supplies water to the Portland metro area. Fire crews are creating "defensible space" between the watershed and the fire. Officials remain optimistic that it won't reach the watershed, but much depends on the weather.

Do you have any experience with wildfires? Have you ever fought a forest fire or been forced to change your plans because of one?

GUEST:

Peter Frenzen: Public Information Officer with Pacific Northwest Fire Team Number 3

Tagged as: mt. hood · wildfire

Photo credit: Alex Johnson/OPB