Expect smoke over Oregon City as fire at former paper mill smolders

A fire early Thursday at the site of the former Blue Heron paper mill is expected to smolder for the next 24 to 48 hours, possibly sending smoke and ash over Oregon City, officials said.

Regulators with the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality said the fire did not pose a risk to river and air quality.

A press release from the Clackamas Fire District said a routine cleanup would happen after the fire is fully extinguished. Residents who find ash on their cars or homes can simply wash it off with water, the fire district said.

Oregon 99E is expected to remain closed between 10th Street and South End Road through the night.

The former mill occupies 23 acres on the Willamette River and has been closed since 2011. The Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde purchased the site in 2019 for its planned tumwata village development. The property also experienced a fire in 2020.

— Beth Slovic is an editor on the public safety and breaking news team. Reach her at 503-221-8551 or bslovic@oregonian.com.

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