Cascade Locks prepares as Whisky Creek Fire burns

CASCADE LOCKS, Oregon. - The Whisky Creek Fire is now on its fifth day, burning in the Mark O. Hatfield wilderness just outside the town of Cascade Locks.

“It was a little crazy the first day it happened, we had 100 people for a wedding and I called the bride and was like just so you know there could be a fire moving closer to town,” Praegitzer said.

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Cascade Locks resident and general manager of Gorges Beer Company, Kelli Praegitzer has been keeping tabs on the wildfire since it started on July 20.

“I have a couple owners and we keep track of what’s happening and what are we doing. I have a big messaging system that I send messages to if they need to close or if we have something to worry about it,” Praegitzer said.

This human-caused fire has burned more than 800 acres of wilderness as of Friday morning, and is situated in a stretch of rocky terrain six miles southeast of Cascade Locks.

While right now the fire isn’t posing much of a threat, the town of Cascade Locks will be holding a meeting to try and stay one step ahead.

“I’d like to know their plan on containment and for the fire folks to be safe. I know they took some resources to the Mosier fire so for everyone to be safe and ok,” Praegitzer said.

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Mike Ferris with the Great Basin National Incident Team said safety is the plan as crews hike up cleared trails to try to box in this back country burn. However, this could be one that lasts all summer. “Once that all gets done at microwave tower we hope to bring all the resources over particularly hand crews. This is going to be a hand crew operation and we’ll water it as we need,” Ferris said. In the meantime, those on the ground will keep an eye on what’s above.

“I have notifications on my phone, so when I’m at home and my staff is here, I can keep on top of it and say hey, we’re at level one you need to start getting ready,” Praegitzer said.