Fire crews battle blaze off McKenzie View Drive amid red flag warning

Fire crews rushed late Tuesday to a fire burning near the McKenzie River north of Springfield.

Amid red flag conditions, crews from multiple agencies were on the scene at about 7:30 p.m., working to keep the fire from cresting a nearby hill to the north.

Burning trees could be seen on the ground from McKenzie View Drive, where crews were lined up working to keep the flames from crossing the roadway.

By 8 p.m., crews had secured a defensive line around the fire and had stopped it from progressing any farther, helped by the late hour and slowing winds.

Fire Chief Andrew Smith of Pleasant Hill Goshen Fire & Rescue, said the blaze was halted at about one acre but crews would likely need to stay throughout the night to keep it contained.

The exact cause of the fire was unknown. Smith said the initial call was for a brush fire. Large electrical lines in the area suggested there may have been an electrical issue, something Smith said was a possibility.

No injuries or damaged structures were reported, although there were homes nearby, closer to the banks of the river.

A red flag warning was issued Tuesday for the Willamette Valley and the length of Western Oregon due to the possibility of thunderstorms and lightning. Red flag warnings are issued when conditions create the likely chance of wildfires igniting or rapidly spreading, but it doesn't mean a fire is imminent.

The red flag in northwest Oregon was set to be in effect until 8 a.m. Wednesday.

David DeMille is the news editor at The Register-Guard. Reach him at DDeMille@RegisterGuard.com .

Haleigh Kochanski is a breaking news and public safety reporter for The Register-Guard. You may reach her at HKochanski@gannett.com .

This article originally appeared on Register-Guard: Fire crews battle blaze off McKenzie View Drive amid red flag warning