Investigators probing suspicious fires in SH, Brownsville areas

Kelly Kenoyer

Eight suspicious fires were started in a period of two hours during the early hours of Monday, Sept. 14, according to Linn County Sheriff’s Office.

The fires were all put out quickly, but were set in the areas of Scott Mountain Road west of Sweet Home, Whiskey Butte Drive east of Sweet Home and Washburn Heights Drive outside of Brownsville.

The small fires, described as suspicious by officials, are unrelated to the large Beachie Creek Fire north of Sweet Home and the Holiday Farm Fire to the south, which both have unknown causes and are each over 150,000 acres in size.

The Sheriff’s Office is asking citizens to be on the lookout for a pick-up described as a small, white or silver, 1990s Nissan Hardbody with a black canopy which was seen in the area of one of the fires.

These fires follow a suspicious fire in Cascadia on Friday, Sept. 11, which residents helped put out before fire crews arrived around 2 p.m. that afternoon. That fire was also deemed suspicious in nature, and all fires remain under investigation.

Oregon Department of Forestry Unit Forester Craig Pettinger said the fires all remained below a quarter acre and were quickly under control, but they made things tougher.

“I don’t like it at all,” he said. “Take that stuff away, we already have a complex situation with the larger fires we’re sandwiched between.”

Due to the heavy smoke, it’s difficult to capture accurate information about the perimeters of the large fires, and it’s similarly challenging to spot new fires from the air, he said.

“We’re really relying on citizens calling those in when they see them. Getting an early report on that helps.

“I just urge everyone to be vigilant with any activities they’re doing that could start a fire,” he added.

Numerous commenters on Sweet Home area Facebook groups have suggested finding the arsonist themselves. Police Chief Jeff Lynn said his department is monitoring the situation.

“We request that everyone stay aware and vigilant, if you’re out and about and see something suspicious.”

He added that average citizens can help law enforcement by acting as witnesses and helping spot the vehicle described by LCSO.

“You can be an excellent witness rather than be involved in some type of criminal investigation,” Lynn said.

Anyone with information about the recent fires or the 1990s Nissan pick-up is asked to call LCSO at (541) 812-2260.

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