Fire hits former Blue Heron paper mill in Oregon City
Three-alarm fire led to the closure of Highway 99E and mobilized fire crews in the region
A three-alarm fire struck the former Blue Heron paper mill in Oregon City, U.S., in the early hours of Thursday (30), mobilizing crews from Clackamas County Fire and other fire departments in the region.
Authorities reported that the fire started around 3:45 a.m., leading to the closure of several nearby roads, including Southeast McLoughlin Boulevard, Main Street and Oregon Highway 99E in both directions, from Oregon City to north of Canby, while firefighters battled the flames.
The 23-acre property on the banks of the Willamette River has been closed since 2011 and was purchased in 2019 by the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde for the planned development of Tumwata Village. The plant had already been hit by a fire in 2020.
Sara Thompson, communications director for the Grand Ronde Tribe, said in a statement that “we are disheartened by the fire at our property – Tumwata Village, the former Blue Heron Paper Mill – that began earlier this morning [January 30]”. She stressed that the priority is the safety and well-being of everyone involved and asked that the authorities be given the necessary time to contain the situation.
According to the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality, the fire poses no risk to air or river quality. The Clackamas Fire District said that a routine clean-up will be carried out after the flames are completely extinguished and advised residents to wash down any ash residue on their property with water.
Authorities are asking people to avoid the southern part of downtown Oregon City and to seek alternative travel routes. Highway 99E is expected to remain closed between 10th Street and South End Road overnight.
