Ilwaco fire: Devastating blaze turns 8,000 crab pots to ash

Ilwaco cannery fire: Thousands of crab pots destroyed

Thousands of crab pots were destroyed in a fire along the Washington coast.

ILWACO, Wash. - A massive fire tore through a cannery in Ilwaco, destroying more than 8,000 crab pots. Rope, buoys, bait and a production facility were reduced to ash one week before the start of Dungeness crabbing season.

According to Pacific County Emergency Management, what began as an electrical issue Monday afternoon spiraled into a full-blown commercial structure fire. Authorities report the remote location of the blaze presented challenges, with limited water supply hindering the firefighting efforts.

Volunteer firefighter Katja Spitz was dispatched to the scene just north of Cape Disappointment. At one point, a thick hazardous plume of dark gray smoke filled the air.

"This is a rural community. It's a charming community. What we have are generations of fishermen and people who have been crabbing," said Spitz. "There’s a certain pride here in the livelihood and so thinking beyond just the fire is: how is this impacting the economy?"

Fishing communities up and down the west coast are now rallying together to help the unfortunate fisherman of Ilwaco. Many of them are already in a financial pinch due to the delay of the Dungeness crab season. 

Cari Brandberg, of the group Newport Fishermen’s Wives, is among those trying to drum up some replacement gear.

"Crabpots are a cash asset for most of these vessels and businesses, they’re not insured for the boat in most cases," stressed Brandberg. "Crabpots are mostly custom-built. These are not just available on the market by the thousands."

If you have crab pots, rope, buoys or bait you’d like to donate, you can contact the Newport Fishermen’s Wives here.