*UPDATE: After this article was written, Washington DNR Investigator Bruce Long’s preliminary wildland fire report on the cause of the Tunnel Five Fire was certified and made available via a public records request. The investigation revealed that debris from brakes and carbon emission particles from the engine of BNSF train 2322 ignited the blaze. The report also states that BNSF track maintenance activities had ignited two small fires in the same vicinity five and eight days before the large wildfire. These two track maintenance fires occurred during hours of darkness when temperatures would have been cooler and humidity higher. These incidents should have alerted BNSF to a localized fire danger along the tracks in this area. Additionally, two witnesses reported that the engine appeared to be of the “non-turbocharged” variety, indicating it was more than 40 years old. Non-turbocharged engines have a higher likelihood of emitting diesel carbon emissions from the exhaust which could start a fire, and thus are not generally used in the Columbia Gorge during summer months due to their propensity to start fires. Read the full investigation report here.
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On July 2, 2023, around 11:19 AM, a wildland fire was sparked near the town of Underwood in Skamania County, Washington. The blaze, which came to be known as the Tunnel Five Fire, spread rapidly due to the hot, dry, and windy weather. Within a few hours, large portions of Skamania County were put under a level 3 evacuation notice, the highest possible classification which advises residents and business owners to leave immediately without gathering belongings or attempting to protect their property due to extreme danger. The fire burned 529 acres and destroyed at least 10 structures, including homes and other properties. Fortunately, first responders like Northwest Incident Management Team 12 were able to collaborate with Skamania County’s Fire District, the Department of Natural Resources, and the U.S. Forest Service to provide fire personnel. They were able to act quickly; without such a rapid response, the fire could have accelerated and caused even more damage to wildlife, plants, and human communities in the Gorge. By July 5, zones near the eastern and western perimeters of the fire had been reduced from level 3 to 2—evacuation level 2 advises residents and business owners to pack all their belongings and be ready to evacuate at any time. On July 7, the weather started to cool down and Skamania County’s evacuation level was reduced to level 2. As the temperature continued to drop and humidity levels increased, containment rapidly accelerated as well. On July 10, the fire reached 80% containment. The fire was fully contained nearly two weeks since it first ignited.
Photographer Richard Hallman peered out the window from his Hood River living room on the first day of the fire and noticed ominous plumes of slate-gray smoke rising up from across the Columbia. “I could look out right across [the river] and see the smoke coming up. So, I knew something was up,” said Hallman. He decided to try to get a closer look from the Washington side, but with SR-14 closed from mileposts 56-65, he wasn’t able to venture further west after crossing the Hood River Bridge. Hallman then retreated to Oregon, where he stationed his camera on the Hood River Waterfront Trail and started snapping photos and videos that he would later post to Instagram (@richardhallman_photo) to help inform community members what was happening.
Air assets were able to arrive quickly at the scene. Looking north across the river, Hallman was astonished by the number of helicopters and air tankers dropping water and fire retardant on the burn. “I don’t know how many different kinds of planes there were,” Hallman recounted. “I stood there for almost an hour in the daylight and I didn’t even take pictures of all the passes because they were just coming through and hammering it so hard.” Skamania County Sheriff Summer Scheyer was also pleased with their quick response. “The Department of Natural Resources has done an incredible job in mobilizing air assets locally. So we had multiple air assets on scene within an hour of the fire.”
With dry grasses and vegetation along with high temperatures and wind nourishing the fire, the burn intensified and expanded on the eastern and western perimeters through the Fourth of July. Air assets continued to drop water on the fire and different areas that had a high chance to ignite, called fire hotspots. On July 3, fire crews ran hoses around buildings and structures that were at high risk from the fire, removed flammable excessive terrain, and put in dozer lines. These procedures continued throughout the first days of the fire, and by July 5, containment levels began to decrease. That day, the fire—which at that time was much more active in the interior than at the perimeter—reached 5% containment.
The containment of the fire increased more quickly beginning on July 7 thanks to cooler temperatures and higher humidity levels. The fire was only 20% contained on July 7 but became 80% contained on July 10. The fire was fully contained a few days later.
Throughout the week of the fire, there was an average of 347 personnel involved each day, including pilots, ground firefighting crews, fire engine and dozer operators, and operational and logistics managers. Scheyer mentions the different resources that came to help fight the fire. “Not only our local resources by District 3 were responding but Klickitat County responded with their fire personnel, and then U.S. Forest Service and Department of Natural Resources.”
On July 6, the railroad was at the epicenter of the Tunnel Five Fire. During this time, firefighters worked hard to protect the tracks. Even though the cause of the fire is still under investigation (*see update at beginning of article), it is possible it was caused by the railroad. Sixteen years ago, a fire started at the same location as the Tunnel Five Fire, called the Broughton Fire. The 2007 Broughton Fire was caused by rail grinding, a process of repairing tracks that may have malformations due to the constant use of heavy trains and railroad cars. Rail grinding can create sparks that may start wildfires, particularly in regions like the Gorge with steep topography; uphill slopes are known to intensify wildfires because as the hot air from the fire rises, it heats up grasses higher up the slope, making them more flammable once the fire reaches them.
If it weren’t for all the first responders, the fire personnel, and everyone who helped and supported the community during the fire, it could’ve spread even faster and done much more damage. Scheyer believes that although there was damage and tragedy that happened, the outcome could have been much worse. “I think overall it was successful. From my perspective, although we did lose structures, and there are people that are still without their homes, I think that the fire personnel were incredible in their response, and we were very blessed to have that.”
Thankfully, the emergency crews were able to extinguish the Tunnel Five Fire before it became even worse, the future of wildland fire in the Gorge will likely bring much of the same. Friends Conservation Organizer Sofia Urrutia-Lopez explains that her stressful experience from the Eagle Creek Fire prepared her for the Tunnel Five Fire. “[The Tunnel Five Fire] didn’t make me feel anxious just because the Eagle Creek fire was so unpredictable.” Wildfires are not something you can prevent, and they are essential for sustaining healthy, balanced, and biodiverse ecosystems in the Gorge. Each year when wildfire season comes, it will only get hotter and drier due to climate change. As of now, to protect the Gorge communities, there is no simple solution—we cannot just move a highway, railroads, or homes. But, there are solutions to lower the risks of wildfires and staying safe when they occur near communities.
For homeowners who live in areas that have high wildfire risks, it is essential to practice how to live “firewise.” Firewise is a program created by the National Fire Protection Association that helps those who live in environments that experience frequent wildfires. Living “firewise” involves taking measures to prevent wildfires from harming homes such as removing shrubs and trees that are within 30 feet of your home; keeping your gutters free of any debris, dead leaves, and pine needles that could be flammable; and replacing or repairing any missing or damaged roof tiles, shingles, and window screens to prevent embers from creating a fire. These are all different practices that homeowners should do to prepare for wildfire season. To live in an environment where wildland fires happen often, you must take on the responsibility of staying safe to protect yourself and your community. “It’s really cool to see the community coming together even though it was pretty tragic. I felt like the area was just really strong with support during the whole time,” said Urrutia-Lopez. Scheyer mentions it is natural for a wildfire to happen because of these windy and dry conditions we live in—just another challenge we have to face. “The area that we live with the high winds, the dry area, difficult terrain, we’re going to have these fires.”