Early morning grass fire likely human-caused

https://youtu.be/WVP_rknSv3M

Medford, Ore — An early morning grass fire takes off in Medford sending a large plume of smoke over the Rogue Valley before sunrise.

Medford Fire and Rescue, with the help of Jackson County Fire District 3, were able to keep the fire near the Sierra Pacific Mill under 4 acres.

As the fire spread south, police shut down the Jacksonville Highway bridge.

Due to the timing of the fire, it didn’t take investigators long to determine a likely cause.

“Homeless folks will start a warming fire or discard a cigarette along the walking paths and there’s a lot of heavy fuel concentration out there with the weeds and grass,” said Deputy Fire Marshal Chase Browning.

The bridge on Jacksonville Highway was reopened shortly after crews knocked down the fire.

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Matt Jordan is the Chief Meteorologist for KOBI-TV NBC5. Matt joined the NBC5 weather team in 2014 after a year as a reporter and anchor in Alexandria, Louisiana. His experience with the severe weather of the Deep South and a love of the Pacific Northwest led him to pursue a certification with Mississippi State University as a Broadcast Meteorologist. You can find Matt working in the evenings of NBC5 News at 5, 6 and 11 as well as online. Matt also has a degree in Journalism from the University of Oregon. In addition to being passionate about news and weather, Matt is a BIG Oregon Ducks fan. When not rooting for the Ducks or tracking down the next storm over the Pacific, Matt can be found outdoors in the Oregon wilderness with his wife, his daughter and their dogs Stanley and Gordi.
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