Grasshopper Fire burns 39,000 acres near Mount Hood

The Grasshopper Fire near Mount Hood had burned 39,439 acres and was 20% contained as of Aug. 6, according to KATU and fire information cited by local outlets. Smoke from the fire pushed air quality in Portland and the Willamette Valley into unhealthy ranges, while evacuation warnings and recreation closures spread across the east side of Mount Hood. The fire has become the closest major wildfire threat to Portland, KATU reported. Public land closures, resort disruptions and trail shutdowns have widened the impact beyond the fire line itself. ### Where is the fire, and how large is it now? The Grasshopper Fire is burning east of Mount Hood in the Mount Hood National Forest, with activity centered near Highway 35 and the Badger Creek Wilderness, according to KATU and OPB. OPB reported on Aug. 4 that the fire was largely packed into steep, rough terrain, which limited the use of bulldozers and forced crews to work by hand and with aircraft support. (katu.com) KATU reported the fire had reached 39,439 acres and 20% containment by Aug. 6. OPB said about 1,200 personnel were assigned earlier in the week, and local reporting said shifting weather and wind conditions remained central to whether the fire would keep pushing west. (katu.com) ### Why are Mount Hood resorts and trails being shut down? Mt. Hood National Forest put a closure order in place effective Aug. 4 covering lands, roads and trails in the fire area, according to the Forest Service. The order lists affected sites including Tamanawas Falls Trailhead, Tamanawas Falls Trail, Badger Lake Campground, Polallie Campground and other recreation areas, and says the closure will remain in effect until Dec. 31, 2026, unless updated or rescinded. (katu.com) Outside reported the fire had forced evacuations, closed ski areas, shut sections of the Pacific Crest Trail and threatened Timberline Lodge. The Pacific Crest Trail Association also posted a Grasshopper Fire closure alert for the trail, while the Forest Service said closed roads and trails were off-limits inside the fire closure area. (fs.usda.gov) ### Which places are under evacuation orders? Clackamas County issued Level 1 “Be Ready” warnings for Rhododendron, Government Camp and nearby areas, OPB reported on Aug. 4. OPB said those areas included roughly 200 properties, while county officials told residents the fire had moved into Clackamas County. Mt. Hood Meadows was under a Level 3 “Go Now” evacuation order, according to OPB, KGW and KATU. (outsideonline.com) Timberline Lodge was under a lower-level evacuation notice earlier this week, and local coverage said officials were preparing contingency plans if conditions changed around Highway 35. ### How far has the fire reached into the Mount Hood tourism economy? (opb.org) Government Camp businesses told KATU that smoke and evacuation threats had driven visitors away, leaving the mountain town unusually quiet in what is normally a busy summer period. KATU quoted one business owner describing the area as “like a ghost town” as the fire continued to burn nearby. (opb.org) Timberline Lodge and Mt. Hood Meadows have both faced disruptions. Outside and other local reports said the fire was threatening historic recreation sites, while separate coverage said Timberline had paused some summer operations because of smoke even as the broader evacuation picture continued to evolve. ### What else has already been lost? (katu.com) The Mt. Hood National Forest said on Aug. 1 that the Grasshopper Fire destroyed the Flag Point Fire Lookout. The Forest Service said the first lookout at that site was installed in 1924 and that the current structure was built in 1973. The Forest Service closure remains active, and official fire information pages direct the public to county evacuation notices and incident updates as conditions change. (outsideonline.com) The next concrete milestones are updated evacuation maps from Hood River, Wasco and Clackamas counties, and any revision to the forest closure order that took effect on Aug. 4. (fs.usda.gov 1) (fs.usda.gov 2)