UNDERWOOD, Wash. — The Tunnel Five fire, a wildfire burning in timber and brush near the small town of Underwood in southeast Skamania County, Washington, is now estimated at 533 acres with 5% containment, according to the latest from the Northwest Interagency Coordinator Center.
Several structures have been destroyed in the fire, according to the Skamania County Sheriff's Office. Level 3 (Go Now) evacuation orders in a two-mile radius around the fire (see evacuation orders map) remain in place Tuesday morning, fire officials said.
The NWCC reported Monday morning that 10 single residences had been destroyed but removed that specific language from their Monday afternoon update. The most recent update from the NWCC reports that 250 "single residences," 15 "nonresidential commercial properties" and 50 "minor structures" are being threatened.
KGW reached out to the NWCC on Monday afternoon and asked why it removed the language about the 10 single residences having been destroyed. The agency sent the following response: "That number is an estimate and came from the previous incident commander last night. The team's job is to verify and confirm the number and type of structures destroyed. We do not have a confirmed number."
Sean Aiken's rental property was impacted by the fire.
"I watched the whole thing, planes were hitting it with retardant and water over and over and ... nothing you can do. It just raged and they let it burn to the ground and fought it elsewhere basically," Aiken said. "There's only so much you can do. I could worry, but it's not gonna really change it, so just glad I'm on this side of the river."
Reed Vandenberghe lives up the road in Stevenson. Thankfully, he is well out of the fire's reach.
"I came out and I saw the plume ... and I came down and spent the next six hours sitting here watching the spectacle and the intense efforts of the firefighters," he said. "Hopefully the winds die down ... we get a due count ... and we ain't going to get any rain but we can pray."
Vandenberghe said seeing the fire is "humbling."
The origin of the fire is under investigation.
On Monday, Hood River in Oregon and the city of White Salmon in Washington declared emergency bans on personal fireworks, effective immediately. The cities cited the Tunnel 5 Fire, paired with hot weather, dry and windy conditions as reasons for the ban. Cascade Locks in Oregon has also banned personal fireworks this year.
Meanwhile, Hood River Fireworks and the Port of Klickitat announced their public fireworks displays are canceled this year due to the fire.
State Route 14 is closed in both directions across a 10-mile stretch near Drano Lake to Underwood.
The fire, which started Sunday morning around 11:20 a.m. grew quickly due to extreme terrain and hot, windy conditions. It is burning across the Columbia River from Hood River in Oregon.
Gary Johnson is a seasonal local who spends his summers windsurfing and hiking. He reflects on the flames near The Dalles and the devastation of the Eagle Creek fire.
"The winds haven't been that strong so I wasn't terribly concerned about it jumping the White River. If It jumps the White River, then we've got a problem. But other than that it's not quite serious for us. It is for the people that are there, of course."
The fire mostly stayed within the perimeter set by firefighters Sunday night, but did experience moderate growth on the west, according to the Southeast Washington Incident Management Team 1.
"The terrain is really challenging out there, it's very steep, rugged and hard to access by ground," said Heather Appelhof, public information officer for the incident management team.
Making matters worse is a Red Flag warning, calling for dry and warm conditions this week, combined with wind gusts up to 12 mph. That remains in effect until the end of the day on Wednesday.
"A Red Flag warning can cause the fire to grow quickly under those conditions of hot, dry weather," Appelhof said.
Fire crews from multiple agencies continue to focus on keeping the fire maintained to an area "east of Drano Lake, south of the east/west portion of Cook-Underwood Road, west of the north/south portion of Cook-Underwood Road, and north of the Columbia River," SEWAIMT said. Air assets have been deployed, utilizing both water from the Columbia River and fire retardant.
A Red Cross evacuee center was set up at the Skamania County Fairgrounds in Stevenson, Wash. Evacuees, some with horses and dogs, spent Sunday night at the evacuee center.
"We have a lady with a couple of horses," said Jane Burke of Red Cross. "So we got them set up and we got some hay."
Washington State Patrol Chief John Batiste authorized the mobilization of state firefighting resources under the Washington State Fire Resources Mobilization Plan at the request of the Skamania County Fire District 3 commissioner.
Multiple agencies responded Sunday, including Skamania County Fire District 3, Skamania County Fire District 1, Klickitat County Fire District 3, White Salmon Fire, Department of Natural Resources, and United States Forest Service.
Evacuations
Level 3 (Go Now) evacuation orders were issued for a two-mile radius around the fire Sunday and remain in place Tuesday morning.
Level 1 (Get Ready) evacuations for Klickitat County, east of the fire, were lifted Tuesday morning.
Watching the fire closely from across the Columbia River in Hood River on Monday was Kay Schaefer. She evacuated Sunday, not long after the fire started, grabbing as many important belongings as she could.
"There's a lot of work that goes into keeping your house up, but it's just stuff — it can be replaced," she said. "It looks like the helicopters are doing a good job and if the wind dies down we should be okay."
For Sean Aiken, it's too late to hope that the fire will be brought under control. He owns a three-bedroom, two-bath rental property in Underwood. He said it was torched by the fire.
"Saw it start in the garage and move through the windows and the whole thing," he said. "It was fast and furious ... crazy."
The sheriff's office posted an updated evacuation map late Sunday night and said it would use its reverse 911 notification system and law enforcement for emergency notifications. Click here to sign up to receive evacuation notices and check the SCSO Facebook page for the latest updates.
Here's what evacuation levels mean
Level 1 Notice - Be Ready: Residents should be aware of the danger that exists in their area and monitor local media outlets for information. Residents with special needs should take note and begin making arrangements to evacuate. Evacuations at this time are voluntary.
Level 2 Notice - Be Set: This level indicates there is significant danger to your area, and residents should either voluntarily relocate to a shelter or outside of the affected area, or if choosing to remain, to be ready at a moment's notice. Emergency services cannot guarantee that they will be able to notify you if conditions rapidly deteriorate.
Level 3 Notice - Go Now: Danger to your area is current or imminent, and you should leave immediately. Listen to local media and watch for emergency personnel who may be coming by to give further instructions regarding the evacuation.
Water in Underwood possibly contaminated
The Skamania County Public Utility District #1 reported Sunday night that water from the Underwood Water System might be contaminated due to a loss of pressure in the water system.
"Even if you don't lose water pressure, your tap water may still be contaminated," the utility district said in a Facebook post.
Officials advise residents of Underwood to boil tap water for one minute and then letting it cool before drinking. They said residents should use boiled or purchased bottled water for drinking, making ice, brushing teeth, washing dishes and food preparation.