About seven acres and a tractor burned in a cut wheat field in Gales Creek Tuesday afternoon between downtown Gales Creek and Mystic Drive.
According to Forest Grove Fire & Rescue (FGF&R), crews were first dispatched to reports that a field was on fire west of the intersection of Gales Creek Road and Mystic Drive.
The reports indicated a tractor was on fire as well.
"While responding, a chief officer upgraded the incident to a full response due to dry east winds that were impacting the region," FGF&R said.
Crews arrived to find a tractor fully engulfed in flames, more than an acre of cut grass on fire, and winds threatening to push flames to cross Gales Creek Road and into several homes clustered east of the road.
Photos courtesy Forest Grove Fire & Rescue
The fire was upgraded to a 2nd alarm to bring additional responses from neighboring fire agencies.
It took crews about 20 minutes to stop the forward progress, and another 45 minutes to extinguish hotspots.
"To increase the perimeter containment on the burned area, a neighboring farmer brought in a equipment to create a dirt containment line around the perimeter," FGF&R said.
In total, about seven acres were burned, and a tractor destroyed.
Forest Grove Fire & Rescue asked Portland General Electric to inspect a row of power lines where flames had encroached.
Crews from the utility company found no damage.
According to FGF&R, their fire inspectors spoke with the operator of the tractor "who was using a flail mower implement behind the tractor to cut down the wheat stubble," the agency said.
"While operating, they had alarms going off and found a fire in the back of the tractor near where the mower connects," FGF&R said.
The driver safely escaped the vehicle and the flames quickly spread to the field.
"It is unknown at this time if the equipment had a malfunction or if a spark was created by the spinning mower," FGF&R said.
Gales Creek Road was closed while crews fought the fire.
Also on scene were crews from Cornelius Fire Department, Banks Fire District, Tualatin Valley Fire & Rescue, AMR, and the Washington County Sherriff's Office.
"We also thank the neighboring farmers for the use of their equipment," FGF&R said.
