Evacuation Orders Lowered for Mt. Hood Ski Resorts Near Grasshopper Fire

Evacuation orders have decreased or disappeared entirely for two Mt. Hood ski resorts positioned near the edge of Oregon’s Grasshopper Fire, which has, to date, burned over 90,000 acres.

Timberline Lodge announced this week that the Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office had lifted the Level 1 Evacuation for the Mount Hood corridor, from Rhododendron east through Government Camp and surrounding areas of Mount Hood National Forest.

The resort thanked the frontline firefighters, incident teams, support personnel, coordinators, and community organizations working on the blaze.

“Our hearts are with communities across the Pacific Northwest affected by this wildfire season,” the post continued. “While conditions improve, we encourage everyone to remain vigilant, follow local guidance, and continue to prioritize safety.”

Summer activities, according to Timberline Lodge’s website, are open for business. That includes scenic rides on the Magic Mile chairlift and the Timberline Bike Park. The resort’s webcams show clear skies.

Down the road, Mt. Hood Meadows faced a level 3, or “go now,” evacuation order as Grasshopper Fire edged close to its boundaries. But Meadows said in a recent social media post that those orders had been moved down. According to Watch Duty, the resort’s split between level 1 and level 2 evacuation orders.

Meadows wrote, “While we are still closed to the public, and ask all guests to stay away from the area, we are definitely feeling more positive about our position.” The ski area previously announced that it would suspend off-season operations for the rest of the summer because of the fire, but had hopes to host scheduled private events, like weddings.

“We aren’t out of the woods yet, but this is definitely a win!” Meadows said.

In another post, Meadows hit a thankful note, writing, “Grateful now more than ever for this special place.” 

Officials announced Wednesday night that containment on the Grasshopper Fire had reached 66%. They said that “reduced risk to structures reflects successful, coordinated suppression efforts among wildland, structural, aircraft and heavy equipment resources.” They also advised that evacuation levels are dynamic.

However, this does not mean that work is stopping; officials continued: “Resources remain positioned around the fire and are working around the clock.”

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