Firefighters responded to a natural cover fire during noon hour Monday in the 500 block of NE Stephens St.
Officials say callers reported seeing smoke coming from behind the fenced in cell tower, and one witness told authorities two people were running from the area prior to the fire department's arrival. Although access to the site was steep and difficult, firefighters from roseburg Fire Dept. and Douglas Forest Protective Association were able to bring the fire under control, limiting the burn to approximately three-quarters of an acre, officials said.
Due to the location and fast-moving nature of the fire, several businesses were evacuated, and a section of NE Stephens St. was re-routed for about 30 minutes.
The cause of the fire is under investigation, but it was determined to be human-caused, fire officials said, and discarded smoking materials may have been a contributing factor.