PORTLAND - Firefighters were working to protect two historic buildings as a wildfire continued to spread in the Mount Hood wilderness Wednesday.
The Dollar Lake Complex Fire has grown to at least 1,600 acres and was only 5% contained with 315 firefighters battling the blaze.
Crews wrapped the historic Cloud Cap Inn with foil and fire retardant, to protect it, along with one other building often used by climbers, called Tilly Jane, that was also threatened.
"We're basically putting high-pressure sprinkler systems on the roofs, and leaving them doused until further notice," explained fire information officer Bernie Pineda.
There were also nearly a dozen homes in a risky area below the fire, near Cooper Spur, but they have not yet been evacuated.
"I know Parkdale , it's not that important cause it is small, but people live up here," neighbor Laurel Deanneryan said. "There's so many people that live up there with their animals, orchards, it's scary."
Two helicopter crews and several smoke jumpers were already fighting the Dollar Lake Complex Fire on the north side of the mountain. Firefighters said their greatest challenge continued to be the heavy smoke and steep terrain, which was making it nearly impossible for them to get close enough to build a fire line.
A community meeting will be held at 7 p.m. Wednesday at the Parkdale Fire Department, where fire crews will discuss strategies and tactics, and they'll provide the latest details on the firefighting efforts.
Your Pics: Dollar Lake Complex Fire on Mt. Hood
Crews from all over the West Coast have been called in to help battle the fire. They were setting up camp at the Hood River Fairgrounds Tuesday, with tents, showers and dining areas - everything needed to keep the fire lines covered 24 hours a day.
Authorities believe lightning ignited the fire Sunday and then high winds helped it suddenly explode in size on Monday. Across the state, wildfires were burning about 143,831 acres Wednesday, authorities estimated.
So far, no buildings have been threatened by the flames, but the fire continues to grow closer to areas with vacation homes and other structures.
However, fires on the Warm Springs reservation were threatening homes on Monday. About 40 residents of the Sidwalter subdivision on the reservation have been placed on an evacuation alert.
More: Warm Springs fires threaten homes
Authorities closed a stretch of Highway 26 on the Warm Springs Reservation as a precaution Monday and then scaled back the closure to only include truck traffic on Tuesday. A detour was set up putting truckers on US97 to Biggs Junction and then onto I-84.
More: Check latest traffic alerts
Cloud Cap Tilly Jane and Lawrence Lake Campgrounds have been closed as a precaution, along with the Vista Ridge, Gnarl Ridge, Elk Cove, Pinnacle trails.
The Dollar Lake Complex Fire was one of many new wildfires currently spreading across Oregon and Washington. Lightning storms started last week and began igniting fires across dry forestland.
Background: Lightning strikes start hundreds of wildfires
The largest wildfire in Oregon is burning in rangeland west of Fossil and the newest wildfire popped up in the Cascades, just outside Bend on Monday night.
More: New wildfire in Cascades outside Bend
KGW Reporter Abbey Gibb contributed to this report
