Lyle Cherry Orchard Preserve to Remain Closed Following Lyle Hill Fire

Jul 17

Written By Columbia Community Connection

From Friends of the Columbia Gorge with edits from Joshuah Albert:

Lyle, Wash., July 17, 2026 — The Lyle Cherry Orchard Preserve will remain closed indefinitely following the Lyle Hill Fire as staff assess damage, repair trails, and allow the landscape to recover, Friends of the Columbia Gorge announced this week.

The nonprofit organization said the fire, which burned at the end of June, has been extinguished. Evacuation orders in the Lyle area have been lifted, and no homes or lives were lost during the incident.

Friends of the Columbia Gorge thanked the Lyle firefighters and regional firefighting crews for their response, saying their coordinated efforts helped protect the community.

Land trust staff recently completed an initial visit to the preserve and found that sections of trail will require repairs. Staff also determined that the preserve's oak woodlands need to be evaluated for fire-damaged trees that could pose safety hazards. The organization said a comprehensive assessment of the burned area has not yet been completed.

Based on those preliminary findings, the preserve will remain closed for the foreseeable future while restoration work is planned and the landscape has time to recover.

"We know this is disappointing, but the closure protects the Lyle community, visitors, and the recovering landscape," the organization said in its update. "Staying away from the preserve also keeps the limited emergency resources available where they're needed most."

Friends of the Columbia Gorge is asking the public not to visit the preserve until it announces that it has reopened.

The organization said it expects to offer volunteer stewardship opportunities to help restore the preserve in the coming months but has not established a timeline. Future work parties will be announced once plans are finalized.