WINSTON, Ore. – Firefighters are crediting a fuels reduction project for the quick stop of a fire nine miles west of Winston on Sunday afternoon, Aug. 9. Crews from Douglas Forest Protective Association, Tenmile Rural Fire Department and the Winston – Dillard Fire Department responded to a natural cover fire, arriving on scene of the Reston Road Fire around 1:30 p.m. The fire was spreading up a hillside where fuels reduction work had been completed by DFPA crews three years prior. An aggressive initial attack by firefighters using aviation and ground resources stopped the forward spread of the Reston Road Fire at a quarter acre of wildland fuels about 10 minutes after crews arrived on scene.
This particular fuels reduction treatment focused on removing the underbrush and young saplings in the treatment area. The large dominate trees were also pruned six to ten feet off the ground. In theory, the removal of underbrush and young saplings, in addition to pruning the large leave trees, reduces the intensity of potential wildfires by keeping the fire on the ground and out of the tree canopy, making the fire easier to suppress.
Crews remained on scene of the Reston Road Fire until 5 p.m., mopping up hot spots and securing control lines. A preliminary fire investigation indicated that the cause of the Reston Road Fire was power line related. It was one of four wildfires DFPA and local firefighters responded to over the weekend.
# # #