Firefighters Extinguish 11 Roadside Fires Along Table Rock Road

Central Point, Oregon- Firefighters quickly extinguished a series of 11 small roadside fires that broke out along Table Rock Road outside Central Point on Sunday, prompting a vehicle-related fire investigation, officials said.

Crews from Jackson County Fire District 3 and the Oregon Department of Forestry’s (ODF) Southwest Oregon District responded to the first report just after 11 a.m. near the intersection of Table Rock Road and Highway 234. Upon arrival, firefighters located two additional fires in the area. All three fires were contained quickly, with the largest burning about half an acre, according to ODF officials.

Later that evening, at approximately 6:30 p.m., both agencies responded again to reports of new fires in the same general area. This time, eight fires were located between the 11000 and 13000 blocks of Table Rock Road. All eight were suppressed at sizes of one-tenth of an acre or less.

ODF officials said preliminary findings indicate that all 11 fires were likely caused by a vehicle. Investigators have ruled out recent chip sealing work conducted by Jackson County Roads as a possible cause.

“Vehicle-related fires are a common occurrence along roadways, especially when conditions are dry,” ODF stated in a release. “Causes can include faulty catalytic converters, dragging tow chains, and even parking hot vehicles over dry grass.”

Authorities are reminding drivers to take precautions during wildfire season, including servicing vehicles regularly, ensuring tow chains are properly secured, and avoiding parking over dry vegetation.

ODF continues to investigate the fires. Officials urged the public to be aware of local fire restrictions and take steps to help prevent human-caused wildfires. A full list of fire season regulations can be found at swofire.com/public-fire-restrictions.

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