August 3, 2020 3:50 a.m.

Firefighters with the Douglas Forest Protective Association and North Douglas County Fire and EMS responded to the Scotts Valley Road Fire on Sunday afternoon.

Kyle Reed of DFPA said the fire was four miles east of Yoncalla, near the 1,000 block of Scotts Valley Road. Reed said crews arrived on the scene shortly after 2:45 p.m. and found a grass fire burning in a cut hay field, moving at a moderate rate of speed. Firefighters utilized a pump and roll tactic to quickly suppress the fire.

Reed said pump and roll tactics are typically used during grass fires when the terrain allows the engine to be driven around the perimeter of the fire. When the method is used, crews drive along the already burned portion of the fire. One to two firefighters will then walk alongside the engine with hoses, spraying water on the edge of the fire while the engine operator drives along the perimeter of the fire.

Reed said firefighters remained on the scene of the Scotts Valley Road Fire until 4:00 p.m. The fire burned just over an acre of cut hay and damaged a hay bailer. A preliminary investigation determined the cause of the fire was related to hay equipment that was working in the field.