Crews Battled Two North Valley Area Fires from Burn Piles Thought to be Out
Firefighters responded to at least two weekend fires that started when old burn piles thought to be out reignited in the North Valley area.
On Saturday at 2:17 p.m., Rural Metro Fire Department was dispatched to a vegetation fire on Soldier Creek Road in the Colonial Valley area. Crews were able to contain the fire at about 1/4-acre before it could reach nearby structures.
Rural Metro officials said an occupant of the property who was valiantly trying to fight the fire experienced heat exhaustion and was transported by ambulance to Three Rivers Medical Center for an evaluation. They said the old burn pile sprung to life when afternoon temperatures rose and the wind picked up.
On Saturday at 3:48 p.m., Rural Metro, Grants Pass Fire & Rescue and the Oregon Department of Forestry responded to a field fire in the 4400-block of Jumpoff Joe Creek Road.
Officials said an aggressive initial attack stopped forward progression of the fire, which was contained at 3.2 acres. They said afternoon winds played a factor in the spread of the fire through light, flashy fuels. The cause of the fire was a burn pile that was believed to have been out three or four days before the incident.
Posted on 6/2/25 6:38AM by Sam Marsh
