A fire broke out shortly after 2:00 p.m. Tuesday in the 7000 block of Upper Applegate Road. The first firefighters on scene reported that a car, an outbuilding and some trees were afire, and the fire was spreading up a hill. ODF and US Forest Service engine crews, and firefighters from Applegate Valley Fire District #9 stopped the wildfire at 1/2 acre.
Two hours later, firefighters responded to a wildfire that was also in the Upper Applegate Road area, 1/4 mile from the earlier fire. The second fire was determined to have been caused by firebrands from the earlier fire.
Three helicopters dropped water from buckets onto the second fire while engine crews and other firefighters, assisted by the bulldozer from ODF’s Medford Unit, constructed fireline around the fire’s edge. By nightfall, the fire had been significantly cooled down, and a Jackson County Community Justice crew completed the fireline and continued mopping up hot spots. The Community Justice crew left the fireline at 3:30 a.m. today.
The second fire was contained at 2 acres. Crews will be working on these fires today, continuing to mop up up remaining hot spots.
Other ODF engine crews will continue to mop up slash piles that burned west of Trail on Tuesday. The cause of the fires remains under investigation
Brian Ballou
Oregon Department of Forestry / SW Oregon District