Fire Chief: Property owner mowing grass hit a rock, sparking fire NE of Madras that prompted evacuations

(Update: Adding new live video, fire's cause)

MADRAS, Ore. (KTVZ) -- Crews working in brisk winds quickly tackled and stopped the spread of a brushfire northeast of Madras Thursday afternoon that Jefferson County Fire Chief Jeff Blake told KTVZ News was sparked by a property owner who was mowing and struck a rock.

Jefferson County sheriff's deputies earlier said Incident 267 was reported on private property shortly after 3 p.m., quickly leading to a Level 3 Go Now evacuation for Zone NE 8 and a Level 2 BE SET alert for zones NE 6 and NE 4, areas north of the Deer Ridge state prison.

But around 4 p.m. came word that Zone NE 8 had been downgraded to Level 2 Be Set to Evacuate, where Zone NE 6 remained. Zone NE 4 had been removed and is no longer in an evacuation zone. Those two remaining zones were dropped to Level 1 Be Ready to Evacuate before 4:30 p.m.

The sheriff's office had this update at 5:17 p.m.: "Roads are now open and there are currently no more zones in an evacuation level. Our team couldn't have done it without Jefferson County Fire & EMS so thank you so much for your hard work and dedication to the county! "