Helicopters Hammer Brush Fire Near Ashland

A brush fire broke out around noon today north of Ashland, and a quick response from city, county, state and federal firefighters kept the blaze from threatening homes. A pair of helicopters on contract with the Oregon Department of Forestry dropped dozens of buckets of water on the fire, while crews on the ground threaded hose around the fire’s flanks. A convenient water source – an irrigation canal – provided a steady supply of water for the helicopter buckets and the hoses alike.

The blaze was stopped at 3.4 acres.

The fire started near the railroad tracks a few hundred yards southwest of the Lithia Springs Resort. Flames rushed up a steep slope through thick, dry brush and mixed forest. The head of the fire was knocked down before it reached Frank Hill Rd.

Firefighters and engines from several agencies helped with suppression, including five ODF Medford Unit engines, the unit’s 10-person hand-line digging crew, Ashland Fire & Rescue, Jackson County Fire District #5 and the U.S. Forest Service.

A retardant bomber and ODF’s Medford Unit dozer were on standby for the fire, but never used.

The cause of the fire is under investigation.

Queens Branch, Dixie Gulch Fires Lined, Being Mopped Up

Firefighters made good progress today on the Queens Branch and Dixie Gulch fires, located approx. 9 miles north of the city of Rogue River. Lightning started the fires late Saturday. Helicopters ferrying buckets of water drenched stubborn hot spots on the north side of the 15-acre Dixie Gulch Fire, while crews digging fire line were able to completely encircle the fire. Crews on the 20-acre Queens Branch Fire spent a productive day mopping up smokes.

Mop up and fireline reinforcement will continue through the night on both fires.

Mop up also continued on the 1-acre Elk Mountain Fire and the quarter-acre McCoy Creek Fire, both of which were caused by Saturday's lightning storm.

All four of these fires are in the Oregon Department of Forestry's Grants Pass Unit.

Medford Unit firefighters found a quarter-acre lightning-caused fire near Rustler Peak. The fire is lined and mop-up is underway.

Lightning Causes Four Fires in ODF's Grants Pass Unit

A dry lighting storm late Saturday sparked three fires north of the city of Rogue River, the largest of which was the Queens Branch Fire, estimated at 20 acres. A second fire in the Dixie Gulch area is estimated at 6 acres. Fire crews worked through the night on both fires to complete fire lines and extinguish hot spots. Both fires are burning in heavy timber.

Residents in the Queens Branch Road, Pleasant Creek Road, and West Evans Creek Road areas should expect to see helicopters and possibly a retardant bomber in the air today, and there will be heavy fire-related vehicle traffic on the roads in this area.

The third lightning-caused fire north of Rogue River was discovered near Elk Mountain and was stopped at one-half acre. A fourth fire was contained at one-tenth of an acre in the McCoy Creek area, 12 miles southeast of Glendale.

All of these fires are located on lands protected by the Oregon Department of Forestry’s Grants Pass Unit.

Engine crews in ODF’s Medford Unit are looking in the Halls Point area, west of Prospect, for a smoke that was reported this morning.

Thunderstorms are possible in southwest Oregon again today, primarily in the Cascades. Gusty winds up to 20 mph are forecasted, along with a chance of showers.