© 2024 | Jefferson Public Radio
Southern Oregon University
1250 Siskiyou Blvd.
Ashland, OR 97520
541.552.6301 | 800.782.6191
a service of Southern Oregon University
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Fire Quickly Burns Through Logging Debris In Douglas County

The Mehl Creek Fire burns through logging slash debris Tuesday night.
Robin Loznak
/
Kellogg Rural Fire Department.
The Mehl Creek Fire burns through logging slash debris Tuesday night.

A new wildfire started in Douglas County Tuesday night, a few miles southwest of the town of Elkton.

The Mehl Creek Fire is not currently threatening any structures, so there aren’t any evacuations in place. The cause of the fire is under investigation.

It started near Mehl Creek Road in an area that had previously been logged. When firefighters arrived, it was already 40 acres large, burning through heavy brush and leftover logging debris. It quickly grew to 200 acres overnight.

The fire is currently at zero percent containment. Fire crews are using bulldozers to build containment lines around the fire. A dozen fire engines and five water tenders are working to cool the perimeter of the fire.

Local fire officials have requested additional assistance from their mutual aid partners.