Eugene Springfield Fire is battling a brush fire first seen near a homeless encampment on North Game Farm Road.
Crews were dispatched to the site at 5:35 p.m. after receiving reports of smoke and flames in the area, according to a release from the fire department. Upon arrival, they encountered a half-acre, wind-driven blaze.
The Coburg Fire District is assisting in the effort. Authorities have advised motorists to avoid the area during the response.
It marked the second significant brush fire local crews had faced in less than 24 hours, with a similarly sized fire having erupted just after midnight at the top of Skinner Butte. Fireworks were the suspected cause there.
The Oregon Department of Forestry officially declared fire season this week in the Western Lane District, which means the manufacture, sale or use of fireworks in unincorporated areas of Lane County are now prohibited for the Fourth of July weekend.
Most fireworks are banned in Eugene, with a fine of up to $500 in place for those found guilty of buying, selling or setting off fireworks within the city limits.
Fire concerns across the area are rising along with the temperatures this week, with dry conditions and a heat wave on the way. Temperatures are expected to approach triple digits by Friday and rise as high as 105 in the Eugene area, according to the latest forecast from the National Weather Service.
The changing conditions could shake up what had so far been a quiet wildfire season in western Oregon.
This article will be updated as more information is made available.
This article originally appeared on Register-Guard: Brush fire reported near Interstate 5 off North Game Farm Road
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