Mount Hood wildfire near beloved Timothy Lake appears under control

fire that erupted Thursday

about 3 miles from Timothy Lake on Mount Hood appears to be under control, with fire officials saying Friday that an aggressive response and favorable weather conditions helped limit its spread.

But fire managers are waiting to call the Anvil fire 100% contained “in an abundance of caution,” said U.S. Forest Service spokesperson Raven Reese.

The fire, reported Thursday morning, originally was estimated to cover five acres of dense hemlock trees, but more accurate mapping of it has led Forest Service officials to peg the size at three acres.

Crews used helicopters to scoop large buckets of water from Timothy Lake, laid hose supported by a water tender and built firelines around the perimeter, fire officials said. Firefighters also used hand tools to extinguish hot spots.

No one from Timothy Lake, a hugely popular spot for camping, hiking and boating about 90 minutes east of Portland, was required to evacuate. Forest Service officials said Friday that people planning to use the lake can do so unaffected by the fire, with the exception of some visible smoke.

The Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office on Friday evening lifted the Level 3 (go now) evacuation order that it had issued a day earlier for a two-mile radius surrounding Dinger Lake, which is northwest of Timothy Lake. The evacuation area included Anvil Lake and the Anvil Lake Trail 724. The fire was burning near Forest Road 5820.