Central Point fire near freeway stopped at 4 acres
Aug. 29—With the help of two helicopters and crews on the ground, a grass fire north of Central Point was knocked down in a matter of hours and without impacting traffic on Interstate 5.
Jackson County Fire District 3 and Oregon Department of Forestry crews responded to a grass fire early Sunday evening on Dean Creek Road near the north Central Point exit, according to an evening news update from ODF Southwest Oregon district.
At about 6:15 p.m. Sunday, the fire was estimated at two acres. Less than an hour later, winds carried the flames and nearly doubled the fire's footprint.
By 6:55 p.m., the fire was estimated at 4 acres, but crews had also lined about 75% of the fire's perimeter. Windy conditions caused some spotting across the creek, but the fire's progression was largely stopped. Crews fully lined the fire by 8:20 p.m. and continued mop-up work through the night.
Among the resources behind that outcome were a medium-duty type 2 helicopter and a more agile but lighter duty type 3 helicopter.
The fire's cause is under investigation.
