Several local fire agencies, including Canby, Aurora and Clackamas, have assisted neighboring Molalla in battling brush fires that have impacted the community this week.
One of the most serious incidents was a wind-driven, two-alarm grass and brush fire that broke out around 3:30 p.m. Tuesday near Kennel Avenue, which prompted Level 3 (Go Now) evacuation for the Twin Fir Mobile Court, a mobile home park serving residents 55 and older.
Residents at Bear Creek Memory Care were also evacuated, officials reported. The blaze was initially threatening “many houses and businesses,” fire officials said in a Facebook post.
Fortunately, firefighters were able to bring the blaze under control in short order, and the evacuation alert was rescinded before 7 p.m.
There were no injuries to either civilians or first responders, and no homes were burned. The cause of the vegetation fire is under investigation.
Responding agencies included the Molalla Fire and Molalla Police Department, Canby Fire District, Aurora Fire District, Clackamas Fire District, Colton Fire District, Monitor Fire District and the Oregon Department of Forestry.
In addition, Molalla officials praised Tualatin Valley Fire and Rescue for covering other calls in the community while Molalla and mutual aid agencies battled the blaze.
The incident came less than a week after another two-alarm vegetation fire broke out near Molalla, which was threatening several structures and spreading rapidly due to dry, windy conditions.
Nine agencies came to Molalla’s aid during that fire on July 12, including Canby, Aurora, Colton, Hubbard, Monitor, Mount Angel, Silverton and the state forestry department.
“Thanks to the work of Good Samaritans and a quick response from fire crews the fire was extinguished without any loss of structures,” Molalla fire officials said on Facebook. “A big thank you to our volunteers and mutual aid partners!”
State and local officials remind residents to learn about and practice creating defensible space around your home to assist firefighters in preventing and responding to brush fires.
