White City Brush Fire Quickly Contained; Suspects Apprehended

Courtesy of: Michael Cuff Jr. / Sidewinders Motorsports

A brush fire was spotted near the Hoover Ponds County Park, off OR140 in White City, at approximately 2:48pm today.

Jackson County Sheriff’s deputies arrived on the scene just 8 minutes after the initial call, with Jackson County Fire District 3 (JCFD3) units following closely, arriving within 11 minutes. Upon arrival, crews reported an active fire burning in mostly blackberry bushes.

Eyewitness Michael Cuff Jr. from Sidewinders Motorsports, told Medford Alert that several Good Samaritans and off-road vehicle (OHV) riders on scene worked on creating a fireline to prevent the fire from spreading to the west. Additionally, a backhoe was deployed to reinforce containment efforts on the eastern side until fire units arrived.

*Courtesy of: Michael Cuff Jr. / Sidewinders Motorsports*

As the fire department began to work, the off-road vehicle (OHV) riders handed over firefighting duties to JCFD3 crews. During this phase of containment, a witness reported seeing at least one suspect attempting to flee on foot and later trying to leave the scene by car.

Quick action by the Sheriff’s department led to the detainment of a male suspect and one female suspect. At this time, the investigation is ongoing, and there is no information on any potential charges for the two individuals.

The fire predominantly burned through blackberry bushes and was contained to approximately a quarter-acre of land. Fortunately, there were no reported injuries or damage to vehicles or buildings.

The collaborative efforts of law enforcement, firefighters, and the OHV community played a pivotal role in swiftly containing the fire and bringing the suspects into custody.