Firefighters respond to a large fire at a scrap yard in Northeast Portland Monday, March 12, 2018.
Kristian Foden-Vencil / OPB
UPDATE (11:45 a.m. PST) — More than 100 head start students have been evacuated from a school near a fire in Northeast Portland. Portland school district officials say they are monitoring in case they have to evacuate other locations.
The fire is centered at an auto scrap yard. Thick clouds of billowing smoke are visible from miles away.
The Portland fire bureau says high winds are making the fire difficult to fight. Water in the area is also limited. Fire officials are encouraging people to evacuate the area if they are overtaken by the smoke.
Northeast Killingsworth Street is closed near 75th Avenue and the Portland Bureau of Transportation says it is also closing other roads in the area.
Students from Sacajawea Head Start were taken to Scott School, which is shutting its windows and limiting outdoor activity to protect children from the smoke.