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Area fire agencies responded to multiple grass fires Tuesday By Ryan Pfeil Updated: Apr 07, 2021 07:17 AM A A 4 View all photos Fire crews responded to a fire in the Rogue River area Wednesday evening. (From Oregon Department of Forestry Facebook page) The Oregon Department of Forestry responded to two grass fires in Jackson County Tuesday afternoon and evening, nearly a month before fire season in the region typically gets underway. Fire crews from ODF and the Greensprings Rural Fire District first responded to a 2-acre fire in the 15000-block of Highway 66, two miles west of Pinehurst, at about 3 p.m., according to an agency Facebook post. Crews were able to use a road in the area as a “natural line” around the fire, with crews working to close the loop with hand lines. As of about 5 p.m., the fire was 80% contained. Crews from the Oregon Department of Forestry and the Greensprings Rural Fire District responded to a 2-acre fire near Pinehurst Tuesday afternoon. (From ODF’s Facebook page) At 5:22 p.m., Rogue River Fire District engines responded to a grass fire in the 3700 block of Wards Creek Road, northeast of Rogue River. The first crews on scene found flames advancing up a hill through brush and timber located behind a home, according to a news release. Fire crews from multiple Jackson County agencies responded to a grass fire northeast of Rogue River Tuesday night. (From ODF’s Facebook page) “Hose lines were deployed on both flanks, but firefighters had trouble catching the head of the fire due to rapid fire spread and steepness of the terrain,” the release said. “Multiple spot fires developed ahead of the main fire.” Rogue River fire requested a third alarm — the second time it has done so for an incident in less than a week — to receive additional aid. No evacuations were required, and no structures were threatened. ODF responded to the scene, with additional personnel from the Evans Valley Fire District, Grants Pass Department of Public Safety, Rural Metro Fire Department, Jackson County Fire District 3, Medford Fire-Rescue, Illinois Valley Fire District, and Ashland Fire & Rescue. Crews contained the bulk of the fire, but ODF personnel and a bulldozer remained on scene through the night snuffing spot fires, the release said. Additional information on the two fires was not immediately available Wednesday morning. ODF crews had also responded to a 7-acre brush fire in Josephine County Monday evening. The blaze was located near Selma in the Thompson Creek area. Fire crews responded to a 7-acre fire in Selma Monday evening. (From ODF’s Facebook page) Officials from ODF’s Southwest Division, which protects 1.8 million acres in Jackson and Josephine counties, have said fire season will start no later than May 1 for the past couple years. This story will be updated. Reach Mail Tribune web editor Ryan Pfeil at 541-776-4468 or [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter at @ryanpfeil .