Sherwood businesses evacuate, road closes due to trestle fire

Dozens of firefighters managed to contain a fast-moving brush fire that had spread to a train trestle in Sherwood Monday.

A grass fire in Sherwood spread to a nearby train trestle that is now 100% involved, fire officials said.

The grass fire was reported after 4 p.m. Monday, August 10, in a field near Southwest Tualatin-Sherwood Road near Langer Farms Parkway.

The trestle was built around 1886, and possibly rebuilt around 1872, according to local railway histories. Huge plumes of thick, black smoke can be seen all around Sherwood.

Even more crews were staged at a nearby chemical plant earlier in the evening, but gusty winds kept the flames away from that area. Businesses on the east side of the train trestle were evacuated, TVF&R said.

Crews are battling the fire in a defensive attack because power lines in the area posed a great risk to firefighters, according to KPTV.

The trestle is part of the Portland & Western Railway Rex Hill line.

This report will be updated as more information becomes available.