17 Minutes to Containment: Crews Make Quick Work of Rhododendron Blaze

In the late hours of November 21, just a few days before Thanksgiving, a residential fire erupted just off Barlow Trail in Rhododendron. Luckily the fire was contained in just 17 minutes thanks to the robust response of local fire officials — however, the house is a total loss for the family. 

Hoodland Fire Division Chief Brian Henrichs spoke to The Mountain Times, in the aftermath of the blaze. “The first call came in just after midnight, at 12:32 a.m,” he says.

The first crews arrived on the scene just 11 minutes later, at 12:43. By 1:00 a.m., the fire was declared contained. “We use the term, ‘fire under control,” explains Henrichs, “but I think they are synonymous. That means that the fire is no longer spreading or that we have stopped it from progressing any further.”

In all, 21 fire response units arrived. Twelve came from the Hoodland area and nine arrived from the Clackamas Fire District. Henrichs says this kind of cooperation is standard operating procedure, as machinery and personnel are called on frequently to assist neighboring areas.

The home in question was a (thankfully) uninhabited short-term rental. It was a neighbor who noticed the flames and called in the emergency. In another lucky coincidence, the firefighters who arrived on scene had ready access to a nearby water main. This allowed them to focus on containing the blaze rather than having to worry about sourcing enough water to extinguish the flames.

The fire was an understandable draw to the surrounding community. Some people even came out to the street to get a better view of the fire. Bystanders kept their distance, however, and neither residents nor firefighters suffered injury.

The cause of the fire remains a mystery. Personnel determined that the fire started somewhere in the kitchen or living room and spread from there. According to Henrichs, the insurance investigator concurred with that assessment and the property has been released to the owner. 

Though the fire was under control in a matter of minutes, crews were on-site until the wee hours of the morning to ensure that the fire was entirely extinguished. The last unit rolled off the scene just before 6 a.m.

Henrichs says that we’re currently in “the elbow season.” That is, fires are less common during this period of time because the summer heat has died down, but ski season (and thousands of visitors) hasn’t arrived.

In the Mt. Hood area, fire is a fact. Dry months during the summer give rise to concerns about massive forest fires. Celebrations in the winter lead to accidental blazes. With that understanding, it’s wholly comforting to know that the fire agencies in the area are not only quick to respond, but they’re intelligent, efficient, and cooperative.

In a community where fires will always happen, it’s good to know that the men and women whose job it is to control the fires are always ready for action.