Lyle Hill Fire Enters Mop-Up Phase as Investigators Seek Public's Help

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Jun 30

By Tom Peterson

The Dalles, Ore., June 30, 2026 — The Lyle Hill Fire has entered the mop-up and patrol phase after burning approximately 450 acres west of Lyle, prompting fire officials to conclude regular public updates on the incident.

In a final update Tuesday, fire officials said the wildfire is either extinguished, in mop-up, under patrol or being maintained by an interagency incident management team. Additional public updates will only be issued if significant new information becomes available.

While the immediate threat to the community has subsided, investigators are continuing to search for the cause of the fire.

Lyle Fire & Rescue District No. 4 and a fire investigator with the Washington State Department of Natural Resources are asking for the public's assistance in determining how the fire started.

Lyle Hill Fire has prompted an investigation into the cause. Photo courtesy Lyle Fire & Rescue Dist. #4

Investigators are seeking photographs or videos showing the earliest stages of the fire, specifically those taken between 1:40 p.m. and 1:55 p.m. Sunday, June 28. They are also asking anyone who may have seen hikers or other people in the area above Riverview Drive before 1:40 p.m. to come forward. Anyone with information is asked to send photos, videos or witness information through the Lyle Fire & Rescue District No. 4 Facebook Messenger page.

As flames raced east toward Lyle under strong Gorge winds Sunday afternoon, fire managers launched an aggressive aerial assault to slow the fire's advance and protect homes. Within minutes of the first evacuation orders, helicopters, Fire Boss single-engine air tankers, heavy air tankers and amphibious Super Scooper aircraft converged on the fire, dropping thousands of gallons of water and fire retardant along the rapidly expanding fire front. Aircraft repeatedly skimmed the Columbia River near Doug's Beach and near The Dalles for water before returning to the fire, prompting officials to close the popular recreation area so pilots could safely conduct water pickups.

At the height of the response, incident commanders had two heavy air tankers, five Six Fire Boss aircraft, two helicopters and two Super Scoopers attacking the blaze from the air while additional tankers arrived from Moses Lake, Washington, and Redmond, Oregon. Lead aircraft directed the aerial attack, scouting ahead of the fire as shifting winds repeatedly changed its direction.

The aerial firefighting effort played a critical role in slowing the fire's advance. Fire Boss aircraft, two Super Scooper air tankers, two large air tankers from Moses Lake dropping fire retardant, and two Type 2 snorkel helicopters staged at the Columbia Gorge Regional Airport in Dallesport worked relentlessly throughout the day. Their coordinated water and retardant drops provided tremendous support to crews on the ground, helping knock down active fire, slow its spread, and give firefighters the opportunity to strengthen containment lines.

Above, this file video shows what a 600 gallon drop is like from a Fire Boss plane.

On the ground, firefighters focused first on preventing the blaze from backing into the town of Lyle before shifting resources to homes along Centerville Highway as flames crossed ridge tops, entered timber and threatened nearby neighborhoods. Hand crews, bulldozers, engines and strike teams from across the region worked through the night to strengthen containment lines before a Washington State Incident Management Team assumed command Monday morning.

The fire ignited Sunday afternoon near the Lyle School and spread rapidly under dry, windy conditions, forcing evacuation orders for portions of Lyle and closing Centerville Highway. Fire crews made significant progress overnight, allowing evacuation levels to be downgraded Monday evening and the highway to reopen with pilot vehicles before returning to normal traffic.

No fatalities have been reported, and officials have not announced any confirmed structure losses.

Fire officials credited the coordinated response of local, state and federal agencies with protecting the community and limiting the fire's spread. They thanked High Prairie Fire Department District No. 14, Appleton Fire, Klickitat Fire District No. 12, Wahkiacus Fire & Rescue District No. 15, Bingen Fire Department, West Klickitat Regional Fire Authority/Southwest Fire & Rescue, Dallesport-Murdock Volunteer Fire Department, Centerville Fire District, Goldendale Fire Department, Rural 7 Fire & Rescue, Trout Lake Volunteer Fire Department and EMS, the Washington State Department of Natural Resources, Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area-U.S. Forest Service, Washington State Patrol, Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, Klickitat County Sheriff's Office, Klickitat County 9-1-1 Dispatch, Klickitat County Emergency Management, Klickitat County Public Works and Klickitat PUD for their efforts during the incident.