Western Forest Products Inc. has confirmed that a fire has caused extensive damage to its Columbia Vista Division sawmill in Vancouver, Washington, rendering the facility inoperable.
In a statement issued Monday, the company expressed gratitude to emergency responders and emphasized that no injuries were reported among employees or first responders.
“While we are shocked by the damage to the mill, we feel incredibly fortunate that no one was hurt,” said Steven Hofer, President and CEO of Western. “We are focused on supporting our team members and completing an incident investigation and assessment.”
The Columbia Vista Division specializes in Douglas Fir lumber products, primarily for the Japanese and U.S. markets. The mill produced approximately 53 million board feet of lumber in 2024.
Western has not yet provided a timeline for the investigation or a recovery plan for the mill.
Headquartered in British Columbia, Western Forest Products operates six sawmills, four remanufacturing plants, and two glulam facilities across the Pacific Northwest. The company is known for its high-value specialty forest products and maintains strong relationships with First Nations and global customers.
Further updates are expected as the company assesses the damage and explores next steps.
