PENINSULA
BURNING
‘Fire!’ exhibit highlights history,
losses and evolving technology
BY REBECCA LEXA
Living along the Pacifi c coast, the
destructive forces of nature people tend
to think about most are storms and fl oods
—and, of course, tsunamis. But fi res
have also been a constant presence in the
Columbia-Pacifi c region, including light-
ning-strike wildfi res, controlled vegeta-
tion burns by I ndigenous people, and more
recent confl agrations that destroyed entire
homes, hotels and other buildings.
These structural fi res are the focus of
“Fire!,” the Columbia Pacifi c Heritage
Museum’s latest exhibit, on view now.
In a span of a century, several signifi -
cant fi res tore through hotels, canneries and
other businesses; the exhibit highlights thir-
teen of the most notable.
Rebecca Lexa
Curator Betsy Millard speaks about the exhibit.
See Page 15
‘Fire!’ exhibit
Open now through Feb. 26
Columbia Pacifi c Heritage Museum
115 Lake St. SE, Ilwaco
Open 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesday
through Saturday
www.columbiapacifi cheritagemuseum.
org or 360-642-3446
Columbia Pacifi c Heritage Museum
Members of the Ilwaco Fire Department in 1950.
Frank Lehn
The Sore Thumb Tavern after a fi re in 1982.
MORE THAN YOU IMAGINED
3D Theater • Museum Store • Model Boat Pond
OPEN DAILY 9:30 TO 5:00 • 1792 Marine Drive, Astoria, OR
503.325.2323 • www.crmm.org
14 // COASTWEEKEND.COM