Local Fire Crews Contain Camas Mountain Fire

Shortly after 5:00 PM on Sunday, July 25th, crews from the Douglas Forest Protective Association and Camas Valley Rural Fire Department responded to a natural cover fire that was burning on the north side of Highway 42 near Camas Mountain. Several passing motorist and nearby residents attempted to suppress the fast-moving fire before first responders arrived on scene. Once firefighters arrived, the Incident Commander reported that the Camas Mountain Fire was about an acre in size, burning in grass, brush, and trees. Several residential structures were threatened by the fire and additional resources were requested from Tenmile Rural Fire Department, Winston – Dillard Fire Department, Looking Rural Fire Department, and Coos Forest Protective Association. The Oregon Department of Transportation was also requested to assist with traffic control. DFPA’s helicopter was used to slow the spread of the Camas Mountain Fire while ground resources from the various agencies constructed containment lines around the incident. DFPA’s fixed wing air attack platform was also used on the incident to monitor the fire’s spread in addition to searching the surrounding area for potential spot fires. An aggressive initial attack by both aviation and ground resources stopped the Camas Mountain Fire before it reached the structures. Firefighters remained on scene of the fire until 9:15 PM, mopping up hot spots and securing control lines. GPS coordinates taken on scene mapped the incident at one and a half acres. While the specific cause of the Camas Mountain Fire remains under investigation, preliminary investigations indicate that the cause may be vehicle related. Via DFPA