This afternoon at 12:57 PM PF&R responded to a house on fire (4300 block of NE 102nd). On arrival firefighters found fire burning in a garage and moving up the wall of the house into the attic. Crews searched the house to ensure no one was trapped and began fighting the fire. One person was located on scene, outside the fire, having a medical issue that doesn't appear life threatening. They were evaluated on scene and transported to the hospital.

This fire was difficult to extinguish due to down power lines and other hazards including outside temperatures hovering around 100 degrees. It is very difficult for firefighters to avoid heat exhaustion in these conditions. Firefighing clothing is heavily insulated and doesn't breath well. This helps protect from burns and toxic smoke to some extent, but it also traps heat. In very hot weather even removing gear can be an ineffective cooling strategy. This means crews must be rotated more often and must constantly hydrate. 

The fire was extinguished and the cause is under investigation. No injuries or other medical issues were reported. 

Your Portland Firefighters are very busy because of the heat and we need your help! Here are a few things you can do to help us to keep you safe:

-Stay hydrated and avoid heavy exertion during the hottest part of the day if possible.

-Check on relatives, friends and neighbors. Elderly people and those with medical conditions have a harder time adapting to extreme temperatures.

-People and pets should never be left in vehicles as interior temperatures can quickly become deadly.