July 20, 2024 2:30 p.m.  

Crews with the Douglas Forest Protective Association dealt with fires in the Elkton and Camas Valley areas on Friday evening and Saturday morning.

Public Information Officer Rachel Pope said Friday just after 7:15 p.m. firefighters from DFPA and several other agencies responded to a reported barn fire near the 6000 block of Hedden Road near Elkton. Pope said upon arrival, the barn and a haystack about 15 feet high by nine bales wide were fully engulfed. Firefighters took immediate action, with structural resources tackling the barn, and DFPA and the Coos Forest Protective Association tackling the forward spread of the fire from the haystack and surrounding fuels.

Pope said their collaborative efforts successfully knocked down the forward spread quickly, allowing firefighters to initiate suppression tactics. Hazards of stored ammunition and propane within the barn, created a watch-out situation that did not allow for immediate direct suppression tactics. Pope said a sprinkler system created a consistent wet containment line around the area, allowing continued control and eliminating the threat of spreading throughout the night. Firefighters and a DFPA dozer continued extinguishing heat Saturday. Smoke will continue to be present in the area until mop-up is complete.

On Saturday at approximately 9:15 a.m. crews from DFPA and Camas Valley Rural Fire District responded to a smoke investigation detected by DFPA’s camera and a public report. On the scene, a 1/10th of an acre fire was found and knocked down. By 11:45 a.m. the fire was 100 percent trailed, plumbed and 30 to 40 percent mopped up.