Fire Investigators from the Oregon Department of Forestry and detectives with the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office are conducting a joint investigation after a fire on a Butte Falls area bridge Thursday morning, October 3rd.
Jackson County Sheriff’s deputies received a call regarding a fire east of Butte Falls on the Fredenburg Road bridge over North Fork Big Butte Creek at approximately 8:00am.
First responding firefighters from Butte Falls Fire Department put out the fire just after 8:30am, containing spread to the surrounding forest.
The bridge is expected to be closed for an extended period as the Jackson County Roads and Parks Department assesses damage, which may necessitate a full bridge replacement. As a result, Fredenburg Road is closed and a temporary detour is in place for the use of affected residents in cooperation with the Bureau of Land Management.
The cause of the fire is under investigation. According to initial estimates, damages to the bridge could exceed $1,000,000.
