Crews battle Log Deck Fire near The Dalles Dam this morning

By Tom Peterson

The Dalles, Ore., Sept. 18, 2025 — Dallesport log deck crews battled a bark chip fire burning just upstream of The Dalles Dam this morning after the fire started on Wednesday evening, according to Klickitat County 911 Officials.

This morning crews at the log deck were using front loaders to dig into the piles of wood debris to expose and extinguish embers burning within the piles that sit near the bank of the Columbia River and near Spearfish Lake.

Initial theory to the cause of the blaze is spontaneous combustion, according to US Forest Service personnel who were checking the scene.

Smoke from the fire could be seen from throughout The Dalles as wind pushed it across the Columbia near the dam.

Bark and wood chips naturally contain moisture and organic compounds. As they decompose, they generate heat. If the pile is too large and airflow is limited, that heat can build until it ignites. If the pile is too large and air circulation is limited, that heat can build up until the pile smolders and eventually catches fire.

Once burning, chip pile fires are notoriously difficult to extinguish. Flames often creep deep inside the piles, sometimes tens of feet below the surface, where the chips act as insulation. Even when the outside appears cold, hidden hot spots can linger and flare up days later. With industrial log decks holding thousands of cubic yards of material, these fires behave less like surface blazes and more like underground peat fires, posing a prolonged challenge for crews.