Second fire in two weeks at Sandy River Delta sparks concern

PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — Just after 4 a.m. Sunday morning, another fire started at Thousand Acres Park on the Sandy River Delta.

Corbett Fire said on Facebook that this was the second blaze in the area in less than two weeks.

As KOIN 6 News previously reported, large numbers of unhoused people have been living in the park despite attempts to relocate them.

Corbett Fire Chief Wunsch told KOIN 6 News that Sunday’s fire was ignited by a car located about 300 feet behind a locked gate that had been breached on an access road. He said it is unknown if the car fire was related to the camps, but they remain a concern.

“The camps have large amounts of contents in them, including propane tanks,” he said.

Fire spread has been limited due to the lack of wind this year, he said. Even so, future fires could prove difficult to battle since campers have added makeshift barriers to make the area more difficult to access.

“Access into this area is of concern due to the recent barriers put up after the clean-up attempt in June,” Wunsch said.

The U.S. Forest Service, which manages access to the Sandy River Delta, did not respond to a request for comment.