July 2, 2020 4:05 a.m. 

Milepost 92 Fire on Tuesday.

Kyle Reed of DFPA said their firefighters, along with members of the Azalea Rural Fire Department and Canyonville-South Umpqua Rural Fire Department, responded to a report of several small fires burning along Interstate Five near milepost 92 northbound. Crews arrived on scene shortly after 1:30 p.m. and discovered the fires were all located within a close proximity to one another and had already merged into one fire that was estimated to be one acre in size.

Reed said due to steep slopes and heavy fuel loading in the area, additional aviation and ground resources were requested. A 20-person hand crew and a water tender were pulled from the Days Creek Road Fire and diverted to the Milepost 92 fire. Additional firefighting resources were also requested from departments in Glendale, Riddle, Tri-City and Myrtle Creek. Personnel from the Umpqua National Forest and the Bureau of Land Management also assisted with the fire.

Reed said Type 2 helicopters were used to slow the fire’s spread up the hillside while ground resources worked their way around the perimeter of the fire, digging fire line and installing hose lays. The Oregon Department of Transportation closed one lane of northbound freeway traffic near the fire for several hours as crews worked to contain the blaze.

The Milepost 92 fire burned a total of four and a half acres of wildland fuels before the fires spread was stopped. Crews remained on the scene overnight, mopping up hot spots and securing control lines.

Reed said a preliminary fire investigation indicated the cause of the Milepost 92 fire was vehicle related.