Medford, Ore. — A quickly spreading wildfire prompted a response from multiple agencies Friday afternoon, as crews worked to contain the blaze burning on the outskirts of Medford.
The fire brought out nearly 20 engines and a bulldozer to Crater Lake avenue near Coker Butte road, causing closures to traffic in the area. Fire crews said with the temperature and windy conditions, it was a perfect storm for a fast-moving fire.
“There’s fire in a number of different spots,” Ashley Lara said, a spokesperson for Jackson County Fire District Three. “Shortly after units arrived, they upgraded to a second alarm.”
Around 11 AM, firefighters rushed to the 4200 block of Crater Lake avenue. Both Medford Fire-Rescue and Jackson County Fire District Three responded to the blaze, which quickly grew to a two-acre fire.
“We’re collaborating together to make sure that we’re getting a good understanding of what happened.”
The Oregon Department of Forestry arrived a short time later, along with their bulldozer. A helicopter was also called out, but was canceled as crews were able to contain the fire.
This blaze, according to Lara, is just a precursor to what experts predict will be a heated fire season.
“We’re going to see an uphill trend now of warmer temperatures, when it’s warmer, with a little bit of wind added to that, it definitely makes a good storm,” Lara said.
An outbuilding was burned in the fire, but no houses were damaged, and no one was injured. Two fire investigators are working to determine the cause.
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