July 24, 2020 4:00 a.m. 

Firefighters from the Douglas Forest Protective Association, the Winston-Dillard Fire Department and Douglas County Fire District No. 2 responded to a grass fire Thursday afternoon on Rice Creek Road, four miles south of Winston.

Kyle Reed of DFPA said crews arrived on the scene around 3:40 p.m. and reported a fast-moving grass fire estimated to be one acre in size that was climbing uphill toward a stand of timber.

Reed said three helicopters worked to slow the forward spread of the fire while ground resources worked to contain the fire. Two bulldozers were used to construct fire line around the blaze while firefighters from nine engines worked to install hose lays around the fire. Reed said strong winds and an abundance of dead and downed material from last winter’s snow storm challenged firefighters as they worked to contain the blaze. By 6:15 p.m. the incident commander for the Rice Creek Road Fire reported that dozer line had been completed around the fire and crews were starting to mop up hot spots.

Reed said the Rice Creek Fire is estimated to have burned 15 acres of wildland fuels. The cause of the fire is currently under investigation.