Sparks from a vehicle ignited four fires about 5 miles northeast of Lowell, threatening several structures in the area on Saturday, July 18, before being brought under control, officials said.

Multiple agencies responded to the fire, reported at roughly 1:45 p.m., including Lowell Rural Fire Protection District, Dexter Rural Fire Protection District, Goshen/Pleasant Hill Fire, and Oregon Department of Forestry. Nearby residents were advised to avoid the area. 

Responders dispatched a bulldozer, a helicopter, and five engines to the scene, according to Isaak Post, a wildland fire supervisor with the Oregon Department of Forestry.

Officials on-site said crews had successfully stopped forward progress within a few hours. Crews were shifting focus to mop-up operations to ensure no hotspots remain, according to the Lowell Rural Fire Protection District.

Flanagan emphasizes the need for fire safety during these parched months, noting that many local crews are already assisting with larger wildfires burning in southern and eastern Oregon.

“We’re kind of short on resources because we’re helping out in other places of the state,” Flanagan said. “It’s fire season, and it’s extra important that people are careful and that they know that dragging chains from cars is not an uncommon way for a fire to start.”