Oregon timber company sues Forest Service for not putting out 2020 wildfire before blowup

An Oregon timber company has sued the U.S. Forest Service for $33 million for not putting out a fire in 2020 before it turned into a raging inferno.

Freres Lumber Co., based in the Santiam Canyon, contends the service's “negligent failure to follow its own mandated fire attack plan” led to one of the largest and deadliest wildfires in state history.

The Beachie Creek Fire originated in the Opal Creek Wilderness, located in in Marion County, Ore., in mid-August 2020, most likely ignited by lightning and remained small for weeks. In early September, the fire started to grow and then exploded during historically powerful east winds on Sept. 7 and 8. That fire eventually merged with fires ignited by downed power lines in the Santiam Canyon.