September 12, 2023 3:40 a.m.

Three outbuildings and several vehicles burned in a structure and vegetation fire in the Oakland area Sunday afternoon.

Just after 3:30 p.m. crews with the Douglas Forest Protective Association and other agencies responded to the fire in the 4900 block of Cole Road.

DFPA Public Information Officer Rachel Pope said crews arrived on the scene to find heavy fire conditions from the affected structures and vegetation with a large column of smoke visible to all surrounding areas. Pope said an aerial attack with two helicopters was essential to holding the fire in check while ground crews, including a DFPA dozer, quickly made progress in establishing a control line. With mutual aid partner response, which also included the additional resources of a 20-person hand crew, task force leader, and a helicopter from the nearby Oregon Department of Forestry Incident Management Team 3, the forward spread of the fire was successfully contained at 3.85 acres. Pope said there were no reported injuries to firefighters or civilians.

A shop, a barn and a pump house were lost. 2 recreational vehicles and 4 vehicles also burned. However, the main residence was successfully saved by first responders.

The fire area was cleared by all responding agencies by just after 10:45 p.m. The cause of the fire is under active investigation. It was not in correlation to the Tyee Ridge Complex.

DFPA was assisted by fire departments in Sutherlin and Oakland along with the Fair Oaks Fire District, Douglas County Fire District No. 2., Kellogg Rural Fire District, North Douglas County Fire and EMS and the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office.

Fire season information is available at: www.dfpa.net. Pictures from the fire are posted at www.541radio.com