The operator of a Weed lumber mill is investigating whether hot ash stored on its campus started a wildfire that killed two people and burned dozens of homes last week.
The Mill fire ignited Sept. 2 on or near the property of Roseburg Forest Products and quickly spread to the communities of Lincoln Heights and Lake Shastina, resulting in the deaths of two women, 66 and 73, according to the Siskiyou County sheriff. Authorities have not officially determined the cause of the fire, which was 75% contained Thursday after burning nearly 4,000 acres.
The Springfield, Oregon-based wood products company is looking into whether the fire was started by ash from its cogeneration facility, which burns wood remnants to power its veneer mill, the firm said in a news release. The ash is supposed to be sprayed with cooling water after it is ejected by the generator, but it is possible that a water-spraying machine failed, the company said. The water spraying machine was supplied by a third-party equipment manufacturer, the release said.
