Oregon City, OR, Church Suffers Fire Damage on Christmas Day

The fire was located in the space between an old and new roof, requiring complex and coordinated operations by Clackamas firefighters.

Dec. 26, 2025

Maxine Bernstein

oregonlive.com

(TNS)

A caller who spotted black smoke billowing from the roof of Oregon City’s Reformation Covenant Church on Christmas Day drew a two-alarm response from Clackamas firefighters, who put out the blaze about 3:30 p.m., according to the fire district.

The firefighters were sent to the church shortly after 2 p.m. and found the fire between an old and a newer roof, which required maneuvering to ventilate and attack the blaze from above, Clackamas Fire District officials said.

No injuries were reported. The cause of the blaze remains under investigation.

An elder of the church, Gary Barnard, declined to comment on the fire.

The Clackamas Fire District posted on its Facebook page a video of the district’s response set to the popular holiday song, “You’re a Mean One, Mr. Grinch.”