June 25, 2024 10:50 a.m.  

Crews with the Douglas Forest Protective Association have responded to fires in north and south Douglas County.

Public Information Officer Rachel Pope said Tuesday at around 6:00 a.m. firefighters from DFPA and Azalea Rural Fire Protection District responded to an estimated quarter of an acre fire near Fortune Branch Road in the Azalea area. On arrival, the fire was found in a thinned operational unit with felled and bucked timber. Operators had acted before DFPA’s arrival and had the fire perimeter trailed with a hand-dug control line.

Pope said DFPA took over command of the fire and had the area in mop-up status as of mid-morning Tuesday. Crews will remain on scene until the area is cleared and in patrol status.

On Monday at approximately 12:30 p.m. crews from DFPA, Oakland Rural Fire District and North Douglas County Fire & EMS responded to a half-acre grass fire located near the milepost marker 144 on Interstate 5, northbound. Pope said thanks to the quick action of all responders, the moderately moving fire was quickly extinguished, trailed and mopped up. The cause of the fire was vehicle-related.