Firefighters battle abandoned equipment blaze on Ross Island

Portland firefighters responded to a fire in abandoned equipment on Ross Island late Saturday afternoon. Heavy black smoke could be seen rising from the island and drifting away into the early evening.

Crews were ferried across the Willamette River in Fireboat 21 to fight the fire, which also involved old tractor tires and petroleum products, Portland Fire & Rescue announced on social media around 5:30 p.m. on July 20. No structures were involved.

“With the winds, the weather and the dry grass, this pile of debris and tires is catching other trees and other piles on fire,” KOIN 6 News reported Deputy Chief of Emergency Operations Corey Wilson as saying. Although most of the fire had been contained by 7:30 p.m., “[T]he problem is the tires keep reigniting,” he continued.

The equipment is owned by Ross Island Sand & Gravel, which mined the island for many years. In 1970, company owner Dr. Robert Pamplin donated 44.83 upland acres , not including the lagoon shoreline edge, to the city of Portland.

KOIN 6 News is a news partner of the Portland Tribune. Their full story can be found at koin.com .