PGE pole-top fire closes Highway 26 near 217 through Tuesday morning commute
Updated 10:35 p.m. PT Oct. 27. Highway 26 reopened Tuesday morning after an overnight closure; PGE planned evening rolling slowdowns to finish line work. Check TripCheck for live conditions.
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A Portland General Electric pole-top fire on Southwest Barnes Road late Monday night forced a full closure of U.S. Highway 26 between Oregon 217 and Sylvan Road through the Tuesday morning rush, according to Tualatin Valley Fire & Rescue and KATU.
PGE reported more than 2,500 customers without power near Providence St. Vincent Medical Center around 5:30 a.m. Tuesday; outages fell to just over 400 by about 7 a.m., KATU reported.
The Sunset Highway reopened shortly after 10 a.m. Tuesday. FOX 12 said PGE planned rolling slowdowns from 7 p.m. Tuesday between OR 217 and Sylvan so crews could finish replacing damaged lines that cross the highway.
MAX Blue and Red Line service near Sunset Transit Center was disrupted; TriMet offered shuttles, according to KATU and FOX 12.
PORTLAND, Ore. - A Portland General Electric pole-top fire on Southwest Barnes Road late Monday night forced a full closure of U.S. Highway 26 between Oregon 217 and Sylvan Road through the Tuesday morning rush, snarling Washington County traffic and briefly cutting power to thousands near Providence St. Vincent Medical Center. Tualatin Valley Fire & Rescue extinguished the blaze, and PGE crews reopened the Sunset Highway shortly after 10 a.m.; utility crews planned rolling slowdowns Tuesday evening to finish replacing damaged lines that cross the highway.
KATU covered the overnight fire, morning outages, detours and reopening in a report with video titled "Power line fire blocks Highway 26 between Sylvan, Highway 217." Watch and read the station's reporting here: KATU: Highway 26 closed from Sylvan to Highway 217 after power pole fire.
What happened
Tualatin Valley Fire & Rescue said crews responded to a power pole fire on Southwest Barnes Road, in the Cedar Hills area near the Oregon Zoo corridor, just after 11 p.m. Monday, according to FOX 12 and KATU. Firefighters brought the fire under control quickly, but the damaged pole and lines threatened MAX light rail and all lanes of Highway 26 near the Oregon 217 exit.
PGE described the incident as a rare pole-top fire. After a long dry stretch, dust and other contaminants can build up on equipment at the top of a pole; when that buildup becomes damp, it can create a pathway for electricity that produces heat or arcing and can ignite dry wood, PGE told FOX 12 and KATU. Closing the highway was a safety precaution in case lines came down over the roadway, PGE said.
"We understand how frustrating this can be for people, especially during the morning commute. We're working as quickly as safety allows," a PGE spokesperson said, according to KATU.
Traffic impacts and detours
Highway 26 stayed closed in both directions between the Highway 217 exit and Sylvan Road overnight and through the Tuesday morning commute, KATU and FOX 12 reported. Backups built on Barnes Road, and Highway 26 was backed up for miles while the closure was in place.
KATU reported the following detours while the highway was closed:
Westbound: exit at Sylvan, take Oregon 217, then rejoin U.S. 26 westbound at the 217 interchange.
Eastbound: take Oregon 217 south to Canyon Road east, then rejoin U.S. 26 eastbound at the Sylvan on-ramp.
Some northbound Oregon 217 drivers could also use Barnes Road to Burnside over the hill into Portland, KATU said.
The highway reopened shortly after 10 a.m. Tuesday, KATU and FOX 12 reported.
"Road reopening and power restoration have different timelines, because crews can make the area safe for traffic before all electrical repairs needed to restore service are complete," a PGE spokesperson told KATU.
Power outages and transit
Around 5:30 a.m. Tuesday, PGE reported more than 2,500 customers without power near Providence St. Vincent Medical Center, KATU said. FOX 12 reported power was restored to the Barnes area just after 6 a.m. By about 7 a.m., outages had dropped to just over 400 customers, according to KATU.
TriMet said the outage disrupted MAX Blue and Red Line service near Sunset Transit Center and offered shuttle buses for riders, according to KATU. FOX 12 said shuttles served stations between Beaverton Transit Center and Galleria/Southwest 10th Avenue.
Evening work on the Sunset
FOX 12 reported that rolling slowdowns were planned on U.S. 26 between Oregon 217 and Sylvan starting at 7 p.m. Tuesday so PGE crews could finish replacing utility lines that cross the highway and were damaged in the pole fire. Officials did not give an estimated finish time. Drivers should check ODOT's TripCheck for live conditions before heading out late Tuesday night or Wednesday morning.
This overnight Barnes Road pole-top fire is separate from a brief Monday afternoon closure of Highway 26 near the Oregon Zoo after trees took down power lines, which FOX 12 also covered.
Sources
KATU: Highway 26 closed through morning commute from Sylvan to Highway 217 after power pole fire (Oct. 27, 2026)
KPTV FOX 12: U.S. 26 rolling slowdowns planned Tuesday night after Cedar Hills power pole fire (Oct. 26-27, 2026)
Oregon Department of Transportation: TripCheck road conditions
TriMet: Transit service information
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