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Firefighters contain one, fight another
Several helicopters fought an air war over a wildfire across Interstate 5 from Valley of the Rogue State Park, while crews battled it on the ground. The fire began at about 11:30 a.m., and firefighters were soon battling two fires - one they contained and the other was expected to be contained today. Rain didn't quite reach two fires along North River Road By JILL BRISKEY ROGUE RIVER - Firefighters from Jackson and Josephine counties were expected to work through the night containing one of two grass fires which raged along North River Road Thursday afternoon. Although investigators have not revealed the cause of the two separate fires, Rogue River Rural Fire Captain Jerry Ray said the both blazes were probably started by people. "We're taking it very seriously. We don't think it's a naturally caused fire," Ray said. Ground crews were also expected to patrol the area Thursday night, protecting seven structures within range of smoldering and burning debris. The first grass fire was reported at 11:21 a.m. in the 2000 block of North River Road near Rogue River. The blaze, which started alongside the road, raced across 30 acres of grass and trees. The fire was contained about 4 p.m. Firefighters spent Thursday night mopping up and putting out hot spots, Ray said. Crews will continue their work today. An hour after the first blaze started, a firefighter discovered a second fire burning in the 3500 block of North River Road. Ray said the fire - which started out "the size of a motor home" - raced along the dry hillside, devouring an estimated 60 acres of grass, brush and trees by Thursday night. Oregon Department of Forestry deployed two helicopters to fight the fires. Pilots spent the day flying back and forth between the Rogue River and the fires, scooping up water near Valley of the Rogue State Park into pouches that hold 1,000 gallons of water. Although smoke and flames were visible from Interstate 5, the freeway remained open. North River Road was closed from Rogue River city limits to Rock Point Bridge. Residents who showed identification were allowed access. With 20 percent humidity, temperatures in the low 90s and winds speeds of 15 mph, Fire Marshal Don Hickman of Fire District 3 said the weather helped the fire grow Friday afternoon. "It's almost a chimney effect," said Hickman. "It's basically just fanning it up through the forest. (The trees) go up just like Roman Candles." The sudden thunder storms which dropped approximately 4 inches of rain in parts of the Rogue Valley didn't reach the fires, Ray said. The previous storms which passed through the area this week also passed through the dry area, he added. A quarter-acre grass fire on Hodson Road, located less than one mile away from the North River Road fires, started Thursday afternoon while crews worked. Hickman said that fire was quickly contained and did not appear to be related. Nobody was injured and no structures were damaged by the fires. Each blaze is under investigation, Ray said. Thursday night, crews were setting lines up around the second fire and containment was expected by today. Following the lightning storm Thursday night, fire crews from Jackson County Fire Districts 3 and 9 responded to numerous reports of smoke and small fires, but details were not available. Spokesmen from Medford and Ashland Fire Departments, however, said nobody reported any lightning-caused fires. |
