Much of Opal Creek Forest Hit Hard by Beachie Creek Fire By Zach Urness | March 8, 2021 SALEM, Ore. (AP) — One of the most beloved destinations in Oregon looks a lot different following the blowup of the Beachie Creek Fire. Large swaths of the 34,000-acre Opal Creek Wilderness and Recreation Area burned after historic winds turned a small fire into an inferno Labor Day night. The fire destroyed the bridge over Henline Creek — the main access point from Salem and Portland. It also killed many of the trees, including old-growth giants, on Henline Falls, Little North Santiam and Opal Creek trails and in the surrounding area.