A combine working in a cut crimson clover field sparked a fast-moving fire on July 10, that burned roughly seven acres near Dilley before 42 firefighters from eight agencies brought it under control.

Forest Grove Fire & Rescue, which led the response, dispatched crews around 2:55 p.m. to Southwest Spring Hill Road near Southwest Fern Hill Road after receiving a report of a fire involving a combine. Crews spotted a large column of smoke while still en route and upgraded the call to a brush fire.

By the time firefighters arrived, two separate fires had already consumed about an acre and were spreading away from the combine.

Winds pushed the flames east and south through the field. Firefighters requested a second alarm at 3:08 p.m. and a third alarm around 3:30 p.m. The fire escalated from initial dispatch to third alarm in approximately 35 minutes.

Four-wheel-drive brush rigs attacked the fire along its edges, stopping its westward spread. But the wind-driven eastern flank threatened a nearby shop building and heavy vegetation before crews declared the blaze under control just before 4 p.m. Crews remained on scene to extinguish hot spots and monitor for flare-ups.

Tualatin Valley Fire & Rescue responded as part of the mutual aid effort, alongside Gaston Fire District, Cornelius Fire Department, Hillsboro Fire & Rescue, Banks Fire District, Yamhill Fire District, AMR, and the Washington County Sheriff's Office.

Burn ban in effect across Washington County

The Dilley fire occurred in Washington County, where TVF&R serves as the primary fire agency for Tigard, Tualatin, Bull Mountain, and Durham. A burn ban has been in effect countywide since June 10, and TVF&R's website displays an active "Burn Ban In Place" alert.

On June 16, Gov. Tina Kotek declared a statewide wildfire emergency, citing record-low snowpack and persistent drought in nearly half of Oregon's counties. At that time, more than 400 wildfires had already burned over 8,000 acres statewide. On average, 70 percent of wildfires in Oregon are human-caused, according to the governor's office.

Forest Grove Fire & Rescue said residents living in rural areas should be prepared to evacuate given how quickly fires can start and spread during summer months. Residents can check burn ban details and sign up for OR-Alert emergency notifications through Oregon's statewide alert system.