Wind-fanned Madras brush fire burns shed, prompts evacuations before crews contain it

MADRAS, Ore. (KTVZ) – A wind-fanned brush fire traced to a cigarette destroyed a small shed and prompted evacuation of some threatened homes on the north end of Madras Monday evening before firefighters contained it.

Jefferson County Fire & EMS crews responded to the fire that was reported about 5:25 p.m. in the area of Cleveland and Third streets, west of Highway 26, said Deputy Fire Chief Kasey Skaar.

While a small, roughly 4-by-6-foot shed was lost, crews protected at least three homes and two other outbuildings threatened by the fire, which burned about two acres of juniper, grass and sagebrush before crews got a line around it.

“The wind was really pushing to the south, up the hill toward the houses,” Skaar said. “We did evacuate some of the homes that were immediately threatened. It definitely had the potential, with the wind on it.”

A cigarette was found in the area of origin, Skaar said.

Crews were on scene for several hours, doing mop-up work.