Irrigon residents cheer on 'needed' wildfire
IRRIGON, Ore. (AP) - A small number of people were evacuated from their homes near Irrigon after a fire at the Umatilla National Wildlife Refuge threatened them.
The Red Cross sheltered about a dozen people before residents went home about 4:30 a.m. Thursday.
Firefighters say they used water and then a counterfire to control the blaze. No injuries or personal property was reported lost. Wildlife habitat was damaged, though.
The East Oregonian reported that some residents took precautions for their houses - and then got together in a driveway with a cooler of beers to watch the fire.
Resident Doug Daniels says the neighbors have been pressing for a controlled burn to rid the area of fuel. He says they were glad to see the fire take care of that.
(Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
The Red Cross sheltered about a dozen people before residents went home about 4:30 a.m. Thursday.
Firefighters say they used water and then a counterfire to control the blaze. No injuries or personal property was reported lost. Wildlife habitat was damaged, though.
The East Oregonian reported that some residents took precautions for their houses - and then got together in a driveway with a cooler of beers to watch the fire.
Resident Doug Daniels says the neighbors have been pressing for a controlled burn to rid the area of fuel. He says they were glad to see the fire take care of that.
(Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)