Just before dawn Monday, fire ripped through the old “Bear House” at the former Oregon Zoo site in Washington Park, sending a plume of smoke over Portland’s northwest hills and leaving the century-old Tudor landmark badly scorched. Firefighters knocked the flames down within minutes, and no injuries were reported.
Portland Fire & Rescue said the blaze was reported around 4:30 a.m., and crews were able to stop the fire’s spread by about 4:44 a.m. Roughly 30 firefighters responded. The first arriving engine used a deck-mounted water cannon to beat the flames back from outside, then crews moved in with handheld hoses. An aerial-ladder hose was used to soak nearby brush, and firefighters returned throughout the day to hunt for lingering embers, according to OregonLive.
Old Building, Long Debated
The Bear House is the last surviving structure from the original Portland Zoo and has sat empty for years after city inspectors labeled it unsafe. Neighbors and preservation advocates spent years arguing over whether the building should be stabilized or torn down.
City officials effectively walked away from the structure in 2017, and a 2018 Washington Park master plan called for taking a hard look at its future. That review was slowed by funding shortfalls and broader park-planning priorities, according to Willamette Week and planning documents from the City of Portland.
Investigation And Next Steps
Fire officials say the cause of the blaze remains under investigation and that fully extinguishing the stubborn fire took extra time. Portland Fire & Rescue spokesperson Rick Graves outlined many of the tactical details for reporters, noting that crews focused on chasing hot spots and keeping the surrounding undergrowth soaked to prevent any flare-ups, according to OregonLive.
The charred shell that remains is likely to reignite long-running arguments about historic preservation, public-safety hazards, and what it would cost to either stabilize what is left or clear the site entirely. Parks and city officials have previously pointed to master-plan priorities and tight budgets as key factors in their handling of the Bear House. Investigators and city bureaus say they will share more information as the fire inquiry moves forward and decisions are made about the building’s fate.
