Initially reported as a house on fire on Rogue River Hwy, crews from Rural Metro Fire, Grants Pass Department of Public Safety, American Medical Response and Oregon Department of Forestry Southwest Oregon District arrived to find a high voltage powerline down causing multiple small fires.
Rogue River Hwy just east of Grants Pass, was shut down completely to ensure safety of passing motorists, and to prevent well-intended civilians from stopping to throw dirt on the burning powerlines. Once in position, firefighters monitored the area around nearby homes until the power was shut down by Pacific Power.
Pacific Power repaired the lines and is investigating the cause of the failures after power outages around Grants Pass affected several thousand homes and another similar power-related problem was reported simultaneously near Gold Hill.
