Sweet Home Fire Dist.
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Sweet Home Fire District and the Oregon Department of Forestry respond to a large brush fire. (Photo) - 03/20/24

Sweet Home Fire District and the Oregon Department of Forestry respond to a large brush fire.

Both Sweet Home Fire District and the Oregon Department of Forestry responded to a large brush fire just outside of Sweet Home. The fire was reported around 3:20 Wednesday March 20th. Sweet Home Fire and ODF responded to the Wiley Creek area with initial reports indicating there was a large fire on the Wiley Creek 240 road, at approximately the 8-mile marker. When the first responding units arrived, there was approximately 5 acres on fire burning in logging slash. The fire was located on a south aspect and on steep terrain.

Sweet Home Fire District and ODF were in unified command and were working with local industry partners. There are no structures threatened. There will be crews and heavy equipment on the fire overnight. 

The fire is estimated to be around 10 acres, as of 7:00 pm Wednesday evening. 

This is the third and largest fire that Sweet Home Fire District and the Oregon Department of Forestry have responded to since Friday of last week. 

Please avoid any unnecessary traffic on the main line of Wiley Creek to allow fire crews to access the fire. 

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Sweet Home Firefighter Respond to a second brush fire (Photo) - 03/19/24

Sweet Home Fire and the Oregon Department of Forestry respond to a brush fire. 

For the firefighters in Sweet Home, both at the Sweet Home Fire District and at the Oregon Department of Forestry, it's been a busy couple of days. Despite being mid-March and the heavy rains for the last few months, they have responded to the second brush fire in the area. The latest fire happened on March 19, 2024 around 3:00 in the afternoon. This fire was dispatched as a large natural cover fire. Responding units learned that there was brush and trees on fire. Upon arrival crews found a resident applying water to the fire with a garden hose. The fire did burn some large fir trees, but mostly consumed brush and blackberry bushes. ODF estimated the size of the fire at .20 acers and was in close proximity to a home. The fire was quickly contained by firefighters. In total there were 13 firefighters on scene. No injuries were reported.

Local firefighters want to remind everyone that grass, brush and trees can dry out quickly. Please use cation while using any open flames or burning outside. Having two brush fires in mid-March is not normal for our area. Please assume all brush is dryer than you expect it to be and could burn.  

Sweet Home Fire District offers home assessments to help homeowners improve defensible space from wildfires. Please contact Christian Whitfield, the District’s Community Wildfire Prevent Specialist for further information at (541) 367-5882. 

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Busy day for Sweet Home Firefighters with early brush fire, structure fire and multiple medical calls. (Photo) - 03/15/24

On March 15, 2024 at 12:34pm Sweet Home Fire District was dispatched to a wire down in the rural area of Cascadia, about 13 miles east of Sweet Home. First arriving units found flames 2-3 ft high along Highway 20, quickly moving into nearby trees and brush. Extinguishing the fire proved difficult due to a live power line on the ground, but thanks to Pacific Power's quick response crews were able to contain the fire to about a 300ft x 25ft area. Sweet Home Fire was assisted on scene by an engine from Oregon Department of Forestry, Oregon Department of Transportation, Oregon State Police and Linn County Sheriff's Office. This is a startling reminder of how fast fuels can dry out with just a few days of sunshine, as we are far ahead of the normal time of year we see incidents such as this.  

At 5:26 pm, crews were dispatched to a structure fire in the 2700 block of Long St. Initial reports were of a shed fire spreading to a tree. As crews were going enroute information was updated that the house was now also on fire. The on duty Battalion Chief arrived less than two minutes after being dispatched, finding the shed fully involved, burning up the tree and the siding of the house actively burning spreading up into the eaves. After a quick knock down the fire did not reach the interior of the home, the shed was a complete loss along with part of a carport. Crews were on scene for close to 90 minutes checking for extension into the house and attic space. Sweet Home Fire responded with 3 chief officers, two engines and a medic unit. We were assisted on scene by Sweet Home Police Department. Cause of fire has not been determined at this time. 

Throughout this busy day Sweet Home medics ran several medical calls. With four calls being at one time, bringing Lebanon Fire District medic units over to assist. A big thank you to Lebanon Fire District for their assistance with several medical calls requiring transport to local hospitals. 

Early morning house fire - 03/03/24

 At 4:13 AM this morning Sweet Home Fire District responded to an early morning fire, finding a well involved structure with flames coming from the middle of the home and breaching the roof. Crews battled the blaze and was able to control it within the hour. All residents were outside safely prior to Fire Dept. arrival due to smoke detectors and a barking dog. The fire damaged an outside service area, an enclosed garage and parts of the interior of the home. A second alarm was called for additional resources.  Lebanon Fire District and Halsey Fire Dept. responded with crews. 6 pieces of apparatus responded  to the scene with 17 personnel.