Oregon Public Broadcasting

Firefighters continue to monitor the Microwave Fire near Mosier to make sure it stays contained.

Crews say they have built stable protection lines around the entire 1200 acre fire.

The fire is listed as 75-percent contained because of the terrain and weather patterns in the Gorge.

Paul Ries is at the incident command post at the Hood River County Fairgrounds in Odell.

At one point, he says a small spot fire broke out of the containment lines.

Paul Ries: “Anytime you are in wind-driven areas, spot fires are fairly common. In this case, a small spot fire, 20-feet by 20-feet was discovered outside the fires. And it burned basically through a culvert, underneath a road and came out the other side. But I don’t expect this fire to burn any more, at all. Those containment lines I think are going to hold. And, we’ll turn this fire over to smaller, local crews to do some mop-up.”

At its peak, the 750 firefighters were on the fire.

The state estimates the fire will cost $1.7 million.