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0 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? e-edition | subscribe | newsletter | deals Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » NEWS NOW July 4 is a milestone for Medford woman who will become U.S. citizen ... Emergency services ... Helicopter, ground crews stop fire near Central Point homes ... July 4 is a milestone for Medford woman who will become U.S. citizen ... Emergency services ... Helicopter, ground crews stop fire near Central Point homes ... FIRE Helicopter, ground crews stop fire near Central Point homes Comment By Vickie Aldous Mail Tribune Follow @@VickieAldous MailTribune.com By Vickie Aldous Mail Tribune Follow @@VickieAldous Posted Jul. 3, 2016 at 2:56 PM Updated Jul 3, 2016 at 3:22 PM By Vickie Aldous Mail Tribune Follow @@VickieAldous Posted Jul. 3, 2016 at 2:56 PM Updated Jul 3, 2016 at 3:22 PM » Social News Firefighters on the ground worked in concert with a helicopter to stop a fire that burned within 50 yards of rural homes outside Central Point Sunday afternoon. The two-acre fire burned amid dry grass and oak trees off Tolo Road northwest of Central Point. Temperatures were in the mid-90s with light winds. An Oregon Department of Forestry helicopter that flew from Merlin outside Grants Pass was able to dip buckets of water from the nearby McCormick Reservoir pond and repeatedly douse the fast-moving fire. ODF and Jackson County Fire District 3 engines, grass rigs, ground crews and a dozer battled the blaze on the ground after firefighters were called to the scene at about 12:45 p.m. "The guys on the ground were keeping the perimeter under control," said ODF Protection Supervisor Taylor Wilkerson. "We brought the helicopter out here to make sure the fire stayed within that perimeter. There was a pond across the road. Some situations are better than others. We appreciate finding them and using them." Firefighters expected to finish mop-up operations Sunday and then monitor the site over the next three days, he said Sunday afternoon. Jackson County Fire District 3 Battalion Chief Myron Harvey said firefighters were initially called out on a smoke investigation, but he upgraded the incident to a grass fire after seeing a column of smoke rising into the air. The smoke column was visible from throughout the Central Point and Medford area, including from Interstate 5. The cause of the fire is under investigation. Jackson County Sheriff's deputies temporarily blocked off a section of Tolo Road Sunday afternoon except to residents. With conditions becoming hotter and dryer as fire season progresses, Harvey said, helicopters will be called out more often to aid initial attack operations. Wilkerson urged the public to be cautious about the threat of fire and to create defensible space by clearing flammable vegetation from around their homes. Staff reporter Vickie Aldous can be reached at 541-776-4486 or [email protected] . Follow her at www.twitter.com/VickieAldous . By Vickie Aldous Mail Tribune Follow @@VickieAldous MailTribune.com By Vickie Aldous Mail Tribune Follow @@VickieAldous Posted Jul. 3, 2016 at 2:56 PM Updated Jul 3, 2016 at 3:22 PM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Southern Oregon Directory Featured Businesses Loading... Business Name address Location, ST | website.com Find Southern Oregon Attractions Bars Restaurants Beauty Salons Entertainment Doctors Medical Specialists Contractors Education Lawn Services Lawyers Shopping Travel Tanning Used Cars Wedding Services ▼ Add your business here + Events Calendar Connect with MailTribune.com Facebook Twitter RSS Back to top Reader Services Reader Services Home Subscriptions Subscriber controls Contact us Submissions Photos Events Letters to the editor Corrections Announcements Obituaries Story ideas Since you asked Alerts Email Alerts RSS Feeds Text Alerts Advertise Media Kit Home Products and services Ad rates Advertising contacts Propel Marketing Mail Tribune Daily Tidings The Nickel Shop Our Valley Blogs Mobile Site Stay Informed Email newsletter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Your privacy is important, read our privacy policy. © Copyright 2016 Local Media Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms of Service | Local Media Group Publications Original content available for non-commercial use under a Creative Commons license, except where noted. MailTribune.com | P.O. Box 1108, Medford, OR 97501