August 29, 2021 6:30 a.m.
Three fires kept crews from the Douglas Forest Protective Association and local fire departments busy on Saturday.
Kyle Reed of DFPA said shortly after 12:00 p.m. DFPA and Glide Rural Fire Department responded to a grass fire two miles west of Glide, near the 2,000 block of Wild River Drive. Reed said firefighters located the fire behind a residence, slowly spreading through dry grass. Firefighters were able to quickly stop the forward spread of the fire at 1/10th of an acre. A preliminary investigation indicated that the Wild River Drive Fire was the result of an escaped burn barrel. Debris burning, including the use of burn barrels and debris piles is currently prohibited on all lands protected by DFPA. Reed said the responsible party was issued a citation for burning without a permit, and will likely be billed for fire suppression costs.
While crews were mopping up the first fire, a second one was reported 8 miles northwest of Winston, near the intersection of Flournoy Valley Road and Sunrise Lane. Local residents attempted to suppress the blaze before fire crews arrived, but the fire was pushed by winds through a field of dry grass. When firefighters arrived on the scene, the fire was estimated to be several acres in size. A helicopter was used to drop buckets of water on the fire while engine crews worked their way around the incident. The forward spread of the Flournoy Valley Road Fire was stopped at seven and a half acres of grass and brush. Reed said crews remained on the scene until 5:30 p.m. A preliminary investigation indicated that the fire was caused by a tree that went into powerlines. Firefighters and equipment from DFPA, Lookingglass Rural Fire Department, and Douglas County Fire District No. 2 responded to the Flournoy Valley Fire.
At approximately 4:35 p.m. a column of smoke that was visible from Interstate Five at milepost 112 south of Roberts Mountain, was reported to the Douglas County Communication Center. Reed said crews from DFPA, Myrtle Creek Rural Fire Department and the Winston-Dillard Fire Department responded to the area and located the fire off of Dole Road. Upon arrival, the fire was about a quarter of an acre in size, burning in dry grass and brush. Gusty winds fanned the flames and pushed the fire up the hillside. Reed said that firefighters installed three hose lays up the hillside to cool the perimeter of the fire while a bulldozer constructed containment lines. The Dole Road Fire burned two acres of grass, blackberry briars and poison oak before it was stopped. Crews remained at the fire until 7:15 p.m. The cause of the Dole Road Fire is under investigation. Additional personnel and equipment from the Riddle Rural Fire Department and Douglas County Fire District No. 2 assisted with the Dole Road Fire.
