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Three fires erupt in Medford By SHARI DOWNHILL Oregon's fire season has arrived. Following a grass fire on the Applegate and a 50-acre blaze north of Klamath Falls Saturday, Rogue Valley firefighters controlled three new fires Sunday. Medford Fire Department responded to two controlled burns that escaped Sunday afternoon, according to Battalion Chief Kurt Bennett. Brush burning in a field off Knowles Road escaped, reaching almost one-half acre before it was contained, Bennett said. Seven firefighters, a pumper and a brush rig went to the blaze at 3:03 p.m., and brought it under control within 10 minutes. Property owner Robert Robbins reportedly had obtained a permit to burn, and had lit the blaze on a designated burn day. "It just got away," he said. "It's real steep through there. We're just lucky there's still some moisture in the fuels." Firefighters also went to a slow-burning fire on Coker Butte Road. A still-hot burn pile from orchard prunings had reportedly been plowed under but ignited in Sunday's afternoon heat. It took three firefighters about 20 minutes to contain that blaze. Oregon Department of Forestry, assisting Medford Fire Department with the Knowles Road incident, received a mutual assistance call on a fire on U.S. Forest Service land. That blaze started next to the road at mile marker 2 on Beaver Creek Road, according to Cody Goodnough of Applegate Fire Department District #9, which responded. Forest Service and Oregon Department of Forestry fire fighters also responded, Goodnough said. The fire burned about an acre. The cause of the blaze is still under investigation. "It's unusual that we would have this happen so early in the season," Bennett said. "It's definitely an indication that this wildland (fire) season will be a dangerous one." "This year, people need to be aware of the precautions they can take to prevent fire in .... the urban interface areas, where residences and wildland areas meet." Some of those precautions include: Keep brush, dry vegetation and firewood away from homes. Keep landscaping green. Buildings with wood shake roofs should have a ladder, garden hose and sprinklers ready to place on roof if necessary. For more information, contact the Medford Fire Department's prevention unit at 774-2300. "We're seeing fire behavior now, in early May, that we would normally see in late June or early July," said Cliff Conner-Coash, of the Medford Fire Department. "Our one defense this year will be educating people so we don't get the starts. But if Mother Nature doesn't cooperate, it could be a very ugly fire season." Reach reporter Shari Downhill at 776-4463, or e-mail [email protected] . Mail Tribune Home | Ottaway Newspapers, Inc. | Dow Jones & Co., Inc. | Privacy | Contact Us Copyright � 2001 Mail Tribune, Inc.