Smoke from the Eagle Creek Fire hovers over the Columbia River Gorge, Sept. 4, 2017.
Conrad Wilson / OPB
Large sections of land closed during the Eagle Creek Fire this summer are being reopened.
Almost 15,000 acres on Mount Hood and in the Columbia River Gorge that provided access to the burn area — but were not burned themselves — are included in the openings.
“We wanted to open those acres up because it doesn’t present a fire-related risk to the public, or our employees,” said Johnathan Erikson, ranger with the Mount Hood National Forest.
Hood River District Ranger Janeen Tervo said many fire districts have had to coordinate as cleanup and assessment continues on the fire area.
"As this fire has shown, fire knows no boundaries,” Tervo said.
Related: Multnomah Falls Lodge Reopens For 1st Time Since Eagle Creek Fire
The opening means campgrounds like Wahtum Lake, Rainy Lake and Indian Springs are now accessible to foot traffic.
People planning to visit the newly opened areas are encouraged to check the Mount Hood and National Scenic Area websites for details. Staff warned, however, that visiting closed areas puts emergency responders at risk.
The risks remaining in the 40,000-acre burn area include falling trees, rocks and landslides.