Most of The Fields Park in Northwest Portland will reopen Friday, Sept. 18, around 10 a.m., ending a six-week closure triggered by the Centennial Mills fire.

The city of Portland announced the reopening Thursday, Sept. 17, according to KGW. The park at 1099 NW Overton St. has been closed since Aug. 5, two days after a four-alarm fire destroyed the interior of the vacant, 116-year-old Centennial Mills warehouse along the Willamette River, the Portland Tribune reported.

The playground will stay fenced and closed. The city said crews still need to install new sand and bark dust before that section can open. No date has been set for the playground work to finish.

Nearly 100 firefighters responded to the Aug. 2 blaze, which started around 3:50 p.m. No injuries were reported. The fire's cause has not been determined, according to the most recent city update on Aug. 28.

Debris from the fire tested positive for asbestos, though city air-quality monitoring found the risk to the public remained low.

Lions Contracting, a contractor licensed by the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) for asbestos abatement, picked up charred debris across the park. The firm was hired through Synergy Environmental, which property owner Stuart Lindquist brought on to manage cleanup in the neighborhood.

Lindquist also paid for the building's demolition. Portland Permitting and Development ordered him on Aug. 6 to tear down the structure. Crews conducted a controlled detonation of the steel water tower atop the building on Aug. 17 and began knocking down walls the next day.

Eric Kutch, director of Portland Permitting and Development, called the project "an extremely complex demolition" at an Aug. 14 press conference reported by KGW. He cited the need for specialized engineering to protect workers, nearby infrastructure, the railroad and the surrounding community.

Naito Parkway and other nearby roads reopened after demolition began, but the park required additional environmental cleanup before the city cleared it for visitors.

Dog owners who used Couch Park or Wallace Park as alternatives during the closure can return to The Fields' off-leash area starting Friday. The playground reopening date remains unannounced.