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http://www.omniture.com --> Sections Home Page Local News AP News Archives Business Classifieds Event Calendar Forums Life Opinion Obituaries Photo Gallery Since We Asked Sports Tempo Weather Special Coverage 2006 Britt Festivals --> Shop Our Valley AutoFinder HomeFinder JobFinder Search Our Valley Special Sections Homelife Magazine Joy Magazine Readers Choice 2006 Oregon Golf Info Oregon Wine Info Our Valley Other Publications Local Links Ashland News eSouthernOregon Newspapers In Education Personals Moving Here Movie Listings TV Listings Volunteer Customer Service Advertise With Us Media Kit Place Classified Ad Contact Us FAQ's Home Delivery Site Map --> Email Story to a Friend August 9, 2006 Oregon Department of Forestry firefighters Austin VanAvery, foreground, and Trevor Shipley put out smoldering debris in an area off Anderson Butte Road south of Talent. Lightning-caused fires were reported all over Jackson County Monday and Tuesday. (Mail Tribune /Roy Musitelli) MOP-UP: Crews focus on cleanup after two hectic days chasing lightning-sparked fires By Chris Conrad Mail Tribune It didn't look like much, just a few charred trees sitting at the end of a steep deer trail just off Anderson Butte Road. But Oregon Department of Forestry protecting supervisor Kyle Holcombe knows that these small fires, if left unchecked, could spark conflagrations such as 2002's Biscuit fire, which burned half a million acres. The Sunday evening lightning storms that rolled through the Rogue Valley sparked 29 fires that have kept ODF crews hopping ever since. By 6 p.m. Tuesday all but one, a 2-acre blaze along Sardine Creek Road just north of Gold Hill, was in the mop-up phase, said ODF spokesman Brian Ballou. "It was a revolving door," Ballou said of ODF's efforts to keep the smaller fires from spreading. "Everyone was busy, but not all at the same time." Ballou said 50 ODF firefighters, along with an inmate crew from North Bend's Shutter Creek Correctional Institution, crisscrossed the valley searching for fires, all but three of them about a quarter of an acre. Thunderstorms always put ODF crews on high alert, Holcombe said. "As soon as we heard that weather report we began talking with our look-outs scattered around the county," he said. "They kept us informed of any smoke visible throughout the day." Two 10-acre fires kept crews busy throughout Monday night. The Vestal Butte fire, which chewed through grass and brush three miles southeast of Shady Cove, was hit by two air tankers and two helicopters. Crews had it mopped up by early Tuesday evening, Ballou said. Meanwhile, no more thunderstorms are expected for the rest of the week, according to the National Weather Service. However, the wind could pick up later in the week, which could cause problems on the fire lines, the weather service said. The Humbug Fire, sparked Sunday evening just north of Applegate, was also attacked by air and ODF ground crews. The blaze was contained by Tuesday evening. Even small fires, such as the one on Anderson Butte west of Talent, require careful attention and a lot of hard work. The fires were set in steep rocky terrain at the end of Anderson Butte Road, forcing ODF firefighters Trevor Shipley and Austin VanAvery to haul 40-pound "bladder bags," their only source of water. Making things worse, the lightning show wasn't over when they arrived. "We had lightning striking around us, going off just over our heads," Shipley said. "It was pretty scary, because I've been knocked down by close lightning strikes before." VanAvery described how they had to throw their metal tools aside and hunker down as the storm passed. They decided to return Tuesday when conditions were safe. The lightning ripped furrows down three Douglas fir trees, sparking three small fires that they were able to contain fairly easily. Holcombe said he will check the trees for the next three days in case flames flare up again. "And if on one of those checks I see smoke, we deal with it and the three-day check starts all over again," he added. No matter the size, every time a wisp of smoke crawls out of the forest, ODF crews attack with whatever forces are available. For Holcombe, there's no such thing as an anti-climactic fire. "We treat them all as a threat," he said. "Besides, it's always nice to get into the woods to see the beautiful views and wildlife. After the fires are under control, of course." Reach reporter Chris Conrad at 776-4471, or e-mail [email protected] . Advertisement s Mail Tribune Home | Local News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Life | Opinion AP News | Archives | Site Map | Community | Classified Copyright © 1997-2006 Mail Tribune, Inc. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions | Website Feedback online casinos news Home Security Systems California Casinos Men's Clothing Southern Oregon Loans --> GMAT Prep Fundraisers Send Flowers Entertainment Guide --> Casinos Canada Trunks, Footlocker Online Casino Reviews