Eugene, OR. Eugene Springfield Fire responded to a small brushfire near 3417 Timberline Dr in SW Eugene at 2PM Friday afternoon. Arriving firefighters found a row of arborvitae on fire. Crews were extinguished the fire before it damaged a nearby home. The cause is under investigation. Arborvitae are a common landscape shub in our area and often used as a living privacy fence and planted close to homes. These shrubs have a tremendous amount of stored energy and burn like Christmas trees. Spring is the right time to ensure your home is wildfire safe for the upcoming fire season even if you live in a city. Check out this link for more information and a defensible space checklist. https://www.oregon.gov/osfm/Documents/Defensible%20Space%20Checklist.pdf