Fire crews extinguish blaze in rye field north of Purdin Rd
A small field fire broke out just outside of Forest Grove Monday afternoon, spreading to a nearby property but ultimately burning less than an acre, fire officials say. Read our story, with on-scene interviews and photos.
A small field fire broke out just outside of Forest Grove Monday afternoon, spreading to a nearby property but ultimately burning less than an acre, fire officials say.
Forest Grove Fire & Rescue responded to the fire off Thatcher Road north of Purdin Road just after 3 p.m. alongside firefighters from Banks Fire District, Cornelius Fire Department and deputies from the Washington County Sheriff’s Office.
The fire began in a rye field that was being processed by a red Case IH 7240 combine. From there, the fire, driven by wind, spread into a nearby row of arborvitae trees and an adjacent grass field, according to Forest Grove Fire & Rescue Public Information Officer Matt Johnston.Johnston said the fire began while a farmer was operating the combine in the field and was unable to notice the flames until he had moved roughly 200 yards away from it.
Photos: Chas Hundley
“The fire got here and it spread,” said Johnston in an interview with News in the Grove. “He [the farmer operating the combine] was about 200 yards away from the fire when he noticed it,” he continued. Johnston noted that it can be difficult to spot a fire while operating a combine due to dust and limited visibility.
Johnston said that once the fire hit the arborvitae trees, it spread to a neighboring property. “It got in the arborvitae line, and then it started to go south of here into the next property,” said Johnston.
Firefighters were able to contain the fire within ten minutes of it starting, according to Johnston. Johnston said the total amount of land burned was around three-quarters of an acre, including about 40 arborvitae.
A neighbor used a water truck to keep the fire at bay until fire crews arrived, Johnston later said.
Photos courtesy FGF&R
“Most of the fire and smoke was from the arborvitae. They are always good at throwing out a lot of smoke and flames,” Johnston said.
The burning arborvitae trees sat right below a power line, prompting a visit from Forest Grove Light & Power, who found no damage to the overhead lines.
Johnston said that these sorts of fires are common during fire season, and that this is at least the third fire of this nature that has broken out this year.
