ASHLAND, Ore. (July 3, 2021) – A vehicle fire and subsequent grassfire prompted a multi-agency response to the 11000-block of Dead Indian Memorial Road outside of Ashland on Saturday, July 3, 2021. The vehicle fire was quickly extinguished by Jackson County Fire District 5 (JCFD5). Through an aggressive initial attack from the air and on the ground, the grassfire portion of the incident is 100% lined and 50% mopped up at the time of this release. It was stopped at 1.5 acres.
The Dead Indian Memorial Road Fire was first reported at approximately 3:30 p.m. as a vehicle fire. When first responders arrived on scene, it had spread to the wildland and was being carried uphill by the wind. ODF Southwest Oregon District responded alongside our partners at JCFD5 with multiple engines, a bulldozer, a water tender, our type 2 helicopter, our helitack type 3 helicopter, and our air attack plane. Our partners at Ashland Fire Rescue, Greensprings Rural Fire Department, Bureau of Land Management (BLM), and Jackson County Sheriff’s Office responded as well, and Medford Fire-Rescue moved up to cover for JCFD5. Within the first hour of initial attack, the forward spread of the grass fire was stopped.
ODF investigators have confirmed the grassfire portion of the incident was caused by the vehicle fire; the vehicle fire will be investigated by JCFD5. Smoke may be seen in the area as crews continue to mop up into the evening. They will remain on scene until the fire is extinguished and it is safe to leave the area.
This incident is an example of how quickly a fire can take off; the extremely dry fuels paired with hot weather our region has been experiencing are prime conditions for fires to start and spread rapidly. ODF is asking the public to keep this in mind during holiday weekend celebrations. One less spark can mean one less wildfire.