Jackson Co., Ore. — Fire season has certainly flared up over the weekend, with numerous fires breaking out across the Rogue Valley. Crews worked into the night, defending nearby homes and trees from the fast-spreading flames.
“I was really nervous that it was so close, and you know, it’s really dry right now, so we were hoping that it didn’t spread too fast, and you know, it was kind of scary,” Brittainy Cacho said.
Cacho and her husband Javier live in rural Eagle Point, just a short drive down the road from where a grass fire broke out on Saturday afternoon.
“Just as they were getting there, I saw another hug puff of really black smoke, so I knew a structure or something started on fire,” Javier said.
That black smoke came from a barn that went up in flames. Ashley Lara, a spokesperson for Jackson County Fire District Three said fire crews closed West Linn road, as they battled the fire spreading quickly across the field.
“They have a lot of tall dry grass, and flammable fuels, blackberries right along the roadside, and so that type of fuel can really determine how a fire moves and how quickly it moves,” Lara said.
Crews responded to several other fires this weekend, including one in Sams Valley, on John Day road. The fire there spread through fields and into numerous trees– a good reminder to create a defensible space around your home.
“It’s been proven that if you do clear that defensible space, between the furthest extension of your house out to 30 feet, you are less likely to be damaged by fire,” Lara said.
There are fire restrictions already in place, and more will go into effect as we continue into the fire season. For more information, click here.
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