Returning camper spots I-84 brush fire, puts it out

PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) -- Oregon's wildfires continue to rage on and more than 10,000 courageous people are battling them on the front lines.

But one Portland man on his way home from a camping trip turned his vehicle into a makeshift firefighting unit.

Tyler Kidd told KOIN 6 News he knew he had the tools to act when he saw a brush fire in the distance near Moffett Creek on I-84.

"I know we’re towing our trailer, we’ve got water tanks in it, we’ve got our fire extinguisher, you know we’ve got to be able to do something to help put this out," he said.

So Kidd carefully rushed in and tackled those flames head-on. No one was injured -- just a few singed hairs.

Kidd's fiancée Jessica Gilligan captured the whole thing. Video shows the smoke billowing out while drivers cruise on.

"We saw a lot of cars driving by," Gilligan recalled. "And I understand they may not have the time or the means, or really know what to do."

Kidd said he wanted to help, especially because the Columbia Gorge is no stranger to fires. In fact, he said he could still see the burn marks on the trees from the massive Eagle Creek Fire in 2017.

What's more, just 8 miles away from where Kidd and Gilligan first stopped, another fire broke out along I-84 hours later.

It all adds to the more than 1.2 million acres (nearly 1,900 square miles) that have burned across the state. According to the Oregon Department of Emergency Management, that's more than four times what’s typical for this time of year.

Given this statistic, Kidd said we should all be willing to help when we can, especially for the firefighters who are already working relentlessly.

"I just figured it was the right thing to do," he said. "If I could help them out in any way then I think that’s meaningful."