Benny Westcott
The Sweet Home Fire and Ambulance District, with the Oregon Department of Forestry, responded to two brush fires on Wednesday, July 5. Both fires were human-caused and thought to be unintentional, according to a district press release, which also stated that the fires were “quickly brought under control.”
The first fire, at the “Old Mill Property” at 1450 24th Ave., was called in at 2:15 p.m. It was in a section of extremely heavy brush. District personnel said it appeared to have started at an abandoned camp, possibly as the result of a smoldering campfire.
The second fire occurred at 29011 Liberty Rd. in a mixture of dried grass, brush and trees, and district personnel deemed the cause of the fire to be incomplete extinguishment of an unauthorized burn pile.
The day’s high temperatures, low relative humidity, and winds caused an increase in fire danger and the likelihood of rapid fire spread. “We were fortunate to have four staffed engines from ODF who were able to respond immediately,” the press release stated. “In addition, Sweet Home Fire was able to staff three engines and two water tenders for each call, with a total of about 20 firefighters from both agencies at each fire.”
The press release also noted that SHFAD’s increased staffing was made possible by grant funds from multiple grants including the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response grant program, the Oregon State Fire Marshall’s Seasonal Staffing Grant, and a Community Wildfire Risk Reduction Grant.