CORBETT, Ore — Early Saturday, a fire broke out near the edge of Multnomah County between Corbett and Sandy. The blaze was just inches from a cabin on top of a steep hill, and a neighbor’s quick thinking helped save the house.
“We got right in here,” explained Fire Marshal Dave Flood, who helps lead the Corbett Fire District, which only has 32 volunteer firefighters and covers 40 square miles.
“I would say there was about two feet between where the fire burned and where the house began. The neighbor described the flames as nearly up to the eaves,” Flood continued.
At around 6 a.m. Saturday morning, crews from Corbett Fire and Rescue were called out for reports of a brush fire near the Sandy River and Trout Creek just outside of Corbett.
While the homeowners were still asleep in their nearby log cabin, a neighbor started using a garden hose to put out the flames.
The cabin was highly elevated near the intersection of Sandy River and Trout Creek, Flood said.
“Looking down over the edge, it is nearly straight down,” described Flood. “When that vegetation is burning, all of that fuel and fire goes straight up. In this case, this house was right at the top of where that was going.”
Flood said the neighbor not only saved the cabin and the lives inside but also provided a great start for the 20 firefighters who arrived at about 6 a.m.
“What was scary was that we didn’t know how wide it was in either direction. It took us about 45 minutes to get a drone up so we could get a scope of what we were dealing with,” Flood said.
The crew was less worried about containment and more concerned about the steep terrain and falling debris.
“When you have a fire like this, things get loose. Rocks get loose, and moss burns away that’s been holding them in. They’ve had a few rocks come down, but they’re mostly working behind the trees, so they’re staying safe,” Flood said.
The fire spread across about 15 acres and was contained within an hour and a half of the Corbett Fire District arriving. The Oregon Department of Forestry sent a helicopter to further assist in fighting the fire.
Flood said he believes the fire was started by fireworks.
“Where this fire started, it’s so steep that there are no electrical lines in the area. We haven’t had any lightning. There is no way a human could readily get there. Fireworks are sounding like what it likely was at this point,” Flood said.
Flood said he usually doesn’t advise people to risk getting so close to a wildland fire, but in this case, the neighbor made the smart choice.
“It’s just kind of tough to defend and protect. But today, it worked out well,” he praised.
So far, no lost structures and no injuries have been reported.