Fire crews rushed Tuesday night to a fire near the McKenzie River north of Springfield.
Amid red flag conditions, crews from multiple agencies arrived on scene around 7:30 p.m., working to prevent the fire from reaching a nearby hilltop to the north.
Burning trees could be seen on the ground on McKenzie View Drive, where crews were lined up working to keep the flames from crossing the road.
Around 8 pm, teams secured a defensive line around the fire and prevented it from advancing, helped by the late hour and slow winds.
Fire Chief Andrew Smith of Pleasant Hill Goshen Fire & Rescue said the fire was contained to about an acre, but crews would likely need to stay overnight to keep it contained.
The exact cause of the fire was unknown. Smith said the initial call was for a wildfire. Large power lines in the area suggested there may have been an electrical problem, something Smith said was a possibility.
No injuries or damaged structures were reported, although there were houses nearby, closer to the river banks.
A red flag warning was issued Tuesday for the Willamette Valley and across western Oregon due to the possibility of thunderstorms and lightning. Red flag warnings are issued when conditions create the likely likelihood of wildfires starting or spreading quickly, but this does not mean a fire is imminent.
The red flag in northwestern Oregon was in effect until 8 a.m. Wednesday.
This story will be updated as more information becomes available.
David DeMille is the news editor at The Register-Guard. Contact him at DDeMille@RegisterGuard.com.
Haleigh Kochanski is a breaking news and public safety reporter for The Register-Guard. You can reach her at HKochanski@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on Register-Guard: Fire reported on McKenzie View Drive amid red flag conditions
