June 26, 2025  3:40 a.m.

Crews with Central Douglas Fire & Rescue were dispatched to a reported shop fire in the 600 block of Tranquil Lane in the Melrose area on Tuesday evening.

CDF&R Fire Marshal Josh Waechter said the fire was reported at approximately 6:50 p.m. Waechter said the home’s occupants discovered a fire in their detached shop and after calling 911, attempted to extinguish it with a garden hose. Initial crews on scene found a working shop fire with the interior fully involved. Crews fought the fire from the exterior, and due to the number of combustibles in the shop, it took around 40 minutes to bring the fire under control. Waechter said crews were on scene for an additional hour and a half performing an extensive fire overhaul. The cause of the fire remains under investigation.

CDF&R responded to this incident with three fire engines, two water tenders, and one command unit. CDF&R was assisted through automatic aid from the Lookingglass Rural Fire District. The total number of firefighters on scene, including paid and volunteer personnel was 17.

Waechter said it was a busy 48-hour period for CDF&R crews as they responded to thirty-four incidents, whether in their response area or calls for automatic aid. This included reports of five structure fires, one fully involved recreational vehicle fire, numerous calls for medical assistance, and one steep-angle rescue response up the North Umpqua River at Tokette Falls. Waechter said crews were able to handle all incidents promptly, utilizing both on-duty and call-back personnel.