Firefighters extinguish Reservoir Hill fire

At 2:08 p.m. on July 2, 2024, Roseburg Fire Department personnel responded to a reported natural cover fire on Reservoir Hill. The caller reported seeing both smoke and flames on the hillside.

Firefighters arrived on scene to find a natural cover fire that was determined to be a rekindle from the previous night. The natural cover fire was in the area of the 200 block of Pine Street at the base of Reservoir Hill. The fire had spread throughout portions of the hillside. Although access to the site was difficult, firefighters from the Roseburg Fire Department and the Douglas Forest Protective Association were able to bring the fire under control quickly, limiting the area of the burn to approximately two and a half acres.

The initial natural cover fire, being a half acre in size, occurred on July 1. The initial fire was determined by fire investigators to be man-made, although it is unknown at this time whether the burn was intentionally set or the result of a campfire that got out of control. There were nearby homeless encampments located near the site of the fire, so it may have started as a cooking or warming fire. The initial fire on July 1 occurred at 11:40 p.m.

The Roseburg Police Department evacuated nearby encampments on the bike path near the 200 block of Pine Street, residents on Bellview Drive, and nearby commercial businesses that were located to the east side of the fire. Firefighters were able to stop the fire from spreading to nearby residential and commercial structures. Residents will continue to see significant smoke today and tomorrow as the fire will be smoldering on the interior of several large trees.

The Roseburg Fire Department would like to remind everyone that with extremely hot temperatures and dry vegetation, fire danger is very high. This incident also serves as a reminder of the importance of defensible space. The Roseburg Fire Department would like to remind home and business owners to eliminate potential fuel for any fire that may occur around or near their property.

The Roseburg Fire Department would like to thank the Douglas Forest Protective Association and the Roseburg Police Department for their assistance.