Efforts to fight the Game Hog Creek Fire burning in the Tillamook State Forest have hit a snag today, with two of three helicopters expected to fight the fire knocked out of commission by mechanical problems Saturday morning.
Now, the Oregon Department of Forestry is scrambling to get additional air support in the form of two single engine air tanker that can scoop water from Hagg Lake to dump on the flames.
With the two helicopters unusable until they can be repaired, that leaves currently one smaller helicopter — considered a “Type 2” helicopter — still in use at the fire.
“We’re still trying to stop the fire in the canyon, and we really need air support,” said ODF Forest Grove District Forester Mike Cafferata in a phone call Saturday morning with this publication.
The two planes, inbound from ODF’s The Dalles unit, will provide a much-needed tool to fight the fire, scooping loads of 800 gallons at a time to drop on the fire. The planes will be working the fire for two hours each, Cafferata said.
Read more on this story at the Gales Creek Journal
