Firefighters successfully stopped the forward progress of a brush fire near Pearce Park Road Tuesday evening after an aggressive multi-agency response that included ground crews, air resources, and emergency evacuations for nearby residents.
The fire was reported shortly after 8 p.m. burning in brush near Tom Pearce Park and the Moon Mountain area east of Grants Pass. As firefighters arrived, the fire posed a potential threat to nearby homes, prompting emergency evacuation notifications for residents in the immediate area while crews shifted resources to structure protection and containment efforts.
Firefighters from the Grants Pass Department of Public Safety Fire Rescue, Grants Pass Fire, Rural Metro Fire Josephine County, and other cooperating agencies immediately launched an aggressive initial attack to keep the fire from spreading through dry vegetation during temperatures that remained in the 90s Tuesday evening.
Air attack resources were ordered early in the response, and a Type 2 helicopter arrived over the fire to assist crews working on the ground. By approximately 8:30 p.m., officials estimated the fire at approximately one acre, with firefighters reporting that about 25 percent of the perimeter had been secured by hand line. A total of 13 ground resources remained assigned to the incident as crews continued constructing containment lines and working to suppress the fire.
“Our Type 2 helicopter is on scene assisting firefighters with suppression efforts,” fire officials said during an evening update. “The fire is estimated at approximately 1 acre and is currently 25% hand lined.”
Officials also confirmed that firefighters and cooperating agencies continued “an aggressive initial attack to build containment lines and suppress the fire.”
By 8:45 p.m., incident commanders announced that firefighters had successfully stopped the fire’s forward progress. Aircraft assigned to the incident were released after their work was completed, while ground crews remained on scene to strengthen containment lines, extinguish remaining hotspots, and secure the fire perimeter.
“Forward progress has been stopped for the Pearce Park Road fire,” officials said in their final update. “Aircraft have been released from the incident, and the fire remains estimated at approximately 1 acre.”
Fire officials credited the rapid response of crews despite challenging weather conditions.
“Firefighters made quick work of the fire despite temperatures in the 90s this evening,” the update stated.
Although the immediate threat from the advancing fire had been halted, firefighters continued mop-up operations Tuesday night to reduce the possibility of flare-ups and reinforce containment around the burned area.
The emergency response brought numerous fire engines, brush units, command personnel, and aircraft into the Pearce Park Road corridor as firefighters worked to protect nearby homes and contain the fire before it could spread further.
Authorities continued to ask the public to avoid the area while firefighting operations remained underway, allowing emergency personnel adequate access to complete suppression and mop-up activities safely.
Emergency evacuation notifications were issued to residents in the immediate vicinity during the initial response as firefighters evaluated homes threatened by the fire. Officials had not released detailed evacuation zones or identified specific evacuation levels Tuesday evening, but the notifications were sent directly to affected residents as crews worked to bring the incident under control.
As of the final update Tuesday night, no injuries or structural damage had been reported. The fire remained estimated at approximately one acre, and firefighters were expected to remain on scene to strengthen hand lines, extinguish hotspots, and fully secure the perimeter. Fire officials indicated this would be the final update unless conditions changed.