Wildfire stopped fast, burns 60-plus acres east of Ashland

ASHLAND, Ore. (KTVZ) -- Firefighters quickly got a line around a wildfire that broke out Sunday afternoon about 10 miles east of Ashland.

Crews from the Oregon Department of Forestry's Southwest Oregon District, assisted by Jackson County Fire District 5 and U.S. Bureau of Land Management engine crews, got a line around the 61-acre Memorial Fire within two hours of the fire being reported around 3 p.m.

The fire, on the north side of Dead Indian Memorial Road, brought an ODF response of five engines, a bulldozer and three helicopters. Three 10-person crews assisted with fire line construction and mop-up.

One retardant drop was made, but power lines through the fire area made further retardant drops inadvisable, officials said.

The fire burned through grass and oak woodland. No structures were damaged, although one residence was threatened.

Much if not all of the burned area is on private grazing land. The fire's cause is still under investigation.

Fire danger in the district has been at the High level since Friday.