High temperatures and dry conditions bring increase in grass fires

The fire danger level in Jackson and Josephine counties goes up to 'High' (yellow) on Friday.

N keep busy all across southern oregon this week.

In ashland - firefighters were able to quickly contain a grass fire yesterday evening.

This is video shared to us of the grass fire at emigrant lake campground.

The fire was burning about half an acre when crews arrived.

It was knocked down in áfourá minutes.

Fire district five says it was a great stop by the emigrant lake station crew.

Firefighters are still looking into what caused it.

Rural metro crews have stayed on top of a couple of small fires in josephine county in the last 48 hours.

These are photos from a i spoke with brian ballou from o-d-f southwest today about what people can be doing to prevent wildfires.

We've been hearing a lot over our scanner about grass fires.

Last couple of days, brian, how have your crews been able to keep those fires so small, so far?

Well, they get it to them as fast as they can.

And they also work with all the rural fire departments and closest forces fight the fire first.

So we've been pretty lucky and somebody rapping on scene so quickly that the fire typically only gets to about a hundredth of an acre in size or 10 through, you know, we've had a couple of go over a couple of acres, but.

So far, we've been pretty good at jumping on him really fast.

Now, the fire danger level going up soon, what do people need to know about what increased restrictions that means for them?

Well, with the fire danger, going up the high on friday, it does mean that those who are used to using power driven equipment like chain saws, or brush cutters until one o'clock, you now have to shut off at 10:00 am.

So it applies to a wide range of, of equipment that is using an internal combustion engine.

It is important to shut off at that time and do a one hour firewatch because the longer a hundred days are drawing out the vegetation very quickly.

I know matt, hoffman's been tracking pretty hot temperatures heading our way in the days ahead.

What's your biggest concern as those temperatures go over the century, mark in our area.

Just that, uh, fires will start easier and spread faster.

We've hit that point in the summer where just about any hot muffler on drag grass or a few embers from a backyard, campfire can float into.

Dry grass wades and get a wildfire going.

So it's time to really screw down your fire safety principles and keep the fire extinguisher close at hand and, uh, be part of the solution to prevent fires, not be one of the few who start them.

We have the fire burning on spence mountain right now in klamath county.

Do we know anything about how that fire started and how has that fire fight going so far?

I have not heard it's up to 55 acres.

So it's a steep brushy slashy areas.

So it not an uncommon place to have fires.

Um, but it's not common for them to be able to put it to bed easily either.

So it's still made beyond the landscape for a couple of days.

What kind of equipment are they using to keep that fire from spreading.

They're not sure, but i know that the southwest oregon odf office is standing a couple of engines over to help out on night shift.

Are you somewhat gratified?

We haven't had any lightening storms as a couple of years ago.

About this time of the year.

Things got pretty active.

That must be a certain level of comfort for you folks so far.

It is, uh, anytime we can get to, well, as far as we can go through fire season without having a dry lightening storm is a very good thing.

Now we don't have any on the horizon so far, but august is still ahead of us.

Nick can be full lightening, just as easy as july can.

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