Georgia-Pacific demolishes another boiler at Camas mill

Company removes structures as it modernizes plan

By Brianna Murschel, Staff writer

April 9, 2026 8:04 am

Business, Camas, News

Karen Roberts of Camas, a former employee of the Georgia-Pacific Camas Mill, looks over the aftermath of a controlled fall of a boiler on April 1. The boiler removals are part of the company’s multiyear revitalization project. (Amanda Cowan/The Columbian)

A worker reopens the road in front of the site of the controlled boiler fall at the Georgia-Pacific Camas Mill on Wednesday morning. The project required detours on portions of Sixth and Seventh avenues, which were temporarily closed before, during and a few minutes after the demolition. (Amanda Cowan/The Columbian)

Drivers pass the site of the controlled boiler fall at the Georgia-Pacific Camas Mill after the road was reopened Wednesday morning. Several bystanders, city of Camas workers and Georgia-Pacific staff watched the fall from afar. It took only about 10 seconds for the boiler to crash down. (Amanda Cowan/The Columbian)

Contractors removed a recovery boiler using a controlled fall Wednesday morning at the Georgia-Pacific Camas Mill. A controlled fall involves cutting key structural components so heavy equipment can pull the building down, according to an email from Georgia-Pacific. Engineers spent months carefully planning the fall. “The mill continues to employ about 150 people locally,” according to Georgia-Pacific. “The mill is not closing down, and we intend to continue operating it and employing people locally far into the future.” (Photo stills from video contributed by Georgia-Pacific Camas Mill)

Engineers spent months carefully planning Wednesday’s boiler removal at the Georgia-Pacific Camas Mill. “The mill continues to employ about 150 people locally,” according to Georgia-Pacific. “The mill is not closing down, and we intend to continue operating it and employing people locally far into the future.” (Contributed by Georgia-Pacific Camas Mill)

Contractors removed the Recovery Boiler #4 using a controlled fall Wednesday morning at the Georgia-Pacific Camas Mill. (Photo still from video courtesy of Georgia-Pacific Camas Mill)

The demolition of a boiler at Georgia-Pacific’s downtown Camas mill unleashed a loud boom and a giant cloud of dust the morning of April 1.

The company has undertaken a multiyear project to remove unused buildings and modernize the papermaking plant. The company demolished another boiler on Feb. 19. Thanks to advances in technology, the mill can do more within a smaller footprint, according to Georgia-Pacific.

Contractors used a controlled fall method, which involves cutting key structural components so heavy equipment can pull down the building, according to an email from Georgia-Pacific.

“You can think about it a bit like Jenga. Pieces are carefully cut to allow the building to fall towards the location where it is safest,” according to the email.

Several bystanders, city of Camas workers and Georgia-Pacific staff watched the fall from afar. The boiler took only about 10 seconds to crash down.

The project required detours on portions of Sixth and Seventh avenues, which were temporarily closed before, during and a few minutes after the demolition.

Engineers spent months carefully planning the boiler removal to ensure safety and minimal community impact, according to Georgia-Pacific.

“Now that the recovery boilers are down, we will begin moving into the construction phase of $20 million in investments that will improve safety, efficiency and help the mill continue as a long-term strategic asset for the company’s West Coast paper towel business, including enMotion® towels,” according to Georgia-Pacific.

The mill was no longer using the recovery boiler and bleaching and pulping buildings along Sixth Street, so it started removing buildings in October 2025, according to the company’s website. Future work will include removing the dock, riverside warehouse, kraft mill and other buildings in operation along Northeast Adams Street, according to the website.

Georgia-Pacific recently announced an investment of nearly $12 million in new and upgraded converting equipment to improve efficiency and long-term operations, according to the company.

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