East County Fire and Rescue and automatic aid from the Camas Washougal and Vancouver fire departments were dispatched for a residential fire on SE Blair Road for a residential fire on Saturday

CAMAS – Firefighters battled wind and cold temperatures, and water supply challenges along with a house fire on Blair Road Saturday (Jan. 13) afternoon and into the evening.

East County Fire and Rescue and automatic aid from the Camas Washougal and Vancouver fire departments were dispatched for a residential fire on SE Blair Road for a residential fire on Saturday at 3:56 p.m. 

The first-arriving engine encountered a working fire on the second floor and attic of the home. All occupants had evacuated, but one individual suffered minor injuries due to a fall while escaping the fire. 

Firefighters attacked the fire from upwind outside the home due to the risk of a wind-driven fire on the interior. Contents stored in the attic and building construction along with the cold and wind made firefighting operations extremely challenging.

Due to the 160 degree temperature and sustained winds of 27 mph with gusts to nearly 40 mph along with lack of fire hydrants, a second alarm and two additional water tenders were required to provide sufficient resources for the extended firefight. The fire was under control by 5 p.m., but crews remained on-scene digging out hidden fire and hot spots until 8:46 p.m. 

Response to this incident included eight engines, three water tenders, two medic units, and three chief officers from East County Fire and Rescue, Camas Washougal Fire Department, Vancouver Fire Department, and Clark County Fire District 3. Traffic control assistance was provided by the Washougal Police Department and Clark County Public Works.

This was the second residential fire in East County. On Wednesday (Jan. 10), East County Fire and Rescue along with the companies from the Camas-Washougal and Vancouver Fire Departments and Skamania County Fire District 4 responded to a residential fire on Boulder Creek Road which was complicated by the remote location, lack of fire hydrants in the area, and snowy conditions.

Effective response to this incident was a testament to the professionalism and commitment of the firefighters and officers involved and the seamless working relationship between the agencies involved.

East County Fire and Rescue

East County Fire and Rescue provides fire and life safety services serving 10,500 people over 60 square miles in southeast Clark County. ECFR is a combination full-time, part-time and volunteer department covering an average of 1,100 calls a year on both sides of the Washougal River. ECFR operates under a balanced budget.