Brush fire south of Eugene Airport, evacuations off Green Hill Road

UPDATE, 7:45 p.m.

The evacuations that had warned residents in the area of Green Hill Road south of the Eugene airport late Monday were downgraded to “Level 1” shortly after 7:30 p.m.

The fire danger was waning as crews worked to establish tight fire lines and put out small hot spots.

The fire was mapped at an estimated 115 acres.

UPDATE, 6:15 p.m.

Officials issued a “Level 3” evacuation notice late Monday for residents in the area of a fire burning south of the Eugene airport, south of Bodenhamer Road and west of Green Hill Road.

“Level 3 means leave immediately! Do NOT take time to gather things. GO NOW!” Read an alert issued by Lane County emergency services.

A “Level 1” evacuation was in place for areas farther south, south of Royal Avenue from Green Hill Road to Fern Ridge Lake, with residents advised to watch closely for further instructions.

Lane County emergency services managers were posting updates at www.lanecounty.org/bodenhamer.

Original article:

A brush fire erupted south of the Eugene Airport Monday afternoon, sending plumes of smoke billowing into the sky and alarming nearby residents as it set a building ablaze off Green Hill Road.

The fire, spotted near the intersection of Green Hill and Bodenhamer Road in Lane County, quickly spread across two acres, according to Lane County emergency alerts.

A building appeared to be on fire as of 5:30 p.m. Monday, although it appeared to be a barn or other structure and not a home.

The fire was first reported just after 4 p.m. Monday, with smoke visible from various vantage points throughout the region. Local fire departments swiftly responded to the scene with at least five engines, working to contain the flames and prevent further spread, according to initial alerts. A helicopter arrived shortly before 5 p.m.

There were no immediate reports of injuries but the Lane County Sheriff's Office issued a "level 2" evacuation order for a zone south of Bodenhamer and west of Green Hill.

"You must prepare to leave at a moment's notice, and this may be the only notice that you receive," read the alert.

Those who evacuated or were looking for someone who had evacuated were advised to reunify at Prairie Mountain School, 5305 Royal Ave.

Several homes are located in the semi-rural area, surrounded by large fields.

Officials advised residents to avoid the area to allow emergency personnel to conduct their operations safely.

This story will be updated as more information becomes available.

This article originally appeared on Register-Guard: Brush fire south of Eugene Airport; evacuations ordered