MEDFORD, Ore. — Firefighters from the Medford Fire Department are on the scene of a fire near the Medford American League Ball Fields just north of Barnett Road and I-5.

According to the fire agency, crews responded a little after 6 a.m. on Tuesday morning. Although the fire was initially reported as a tree fire, firefighters arrived about five minutes after being dispatched to find a large debris pile aflame.

Flames wreathed a large slash pile behind the fields, producing a large column of smoke above the city.

"This fire will continue to put out a lot of smoke throughout the day," Medford Fire said. "This was not a planned, controlled fire and the cause of the fire is under investigation."

Officials said that the pile was created as part of brush clean-up operations along the Bear Creek Greenway, but there was no plan to burn it on Monday. It's still unknown at this time how the fire started.

Firefighters have contained the spread of flames to the pile. Crews will be on hand throughout the day as the pile continues to smolder and produce smoke. Medford Fire says that it is working with Medford Parks & Recreation to manage the fire going forward.

NewsWatch 12 is on the scene of this fire and will update the story with more details as they emerge.