Area Fire Crews Quickly Extinguish MP 7 Fire Overnight

Early this morning, Monday, July 31, 2023, around 3:45 am, rural responders from Kellogg Rural Fire District, Elkton Rural Fire Protection District, and Sutherlin Fire Department, responded to an initially reported vehicle fire in Kellogg, OR near Milepost 7 on Highway 138W. While on the scene, an estimated ½ acre of grass and brush was on fire, progressing uphill, and located in an old burn scar. 911 Dispatch notified the Douglas Forest Protective Association (DFPA) of the wildfire and crews were enroute and on the scene by 4:30 am. DFPA’s responding resources included 5 engines and 2 squads. To protect the safety of first responders and the public, traffic was stopped and controlled by on-scene volunteer firefighters. Once the forward spread was knocked down and the fire was under control, the highway was reopened to thru traffic around 6:30 am. As of 10 am, the fire is 100% plumbed, 100% trailed and 25% mopped up. DFPA squads and 2 engines will continue with mop-up throughout the day, all other resources have been released from the fire. Minimal smoke may be visible in the area as crews continue to eradicate hot spots. Emergency vehicles are no longer parked on the side of the highway and are now safely located on private property; however, we are still asking the public to be aware that wildland firefighters continue to work diligently in the area and to be mindful of their presence and safety. The cause of the fire is currently under active investigation and is human-cause-related. This will be the only public service announcement shared for this fire.