A brush fire on a seven-acre vacant parcel south of Bend closed a Highway 97 off-ramp at Baker Road, threatened homes in Deschutes River Woods (DRW), and prompted warnings of a possible evacuation on Sunday afternoon.         Scenes from the Highway 97 and Baker Road Fire. Photos by Richard Burton. On August 20 shortly after noon, deputies with the Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office responded to the scene to find the fire burning on the west side of ... [full story]

Fire inspectors believe that $150,000 in damage to a northeast Bend home on Sunday evening was most likely caused when a barbecue grill on a wood deck was knocked over by the tenant’s three dogs. According to Fire Inspector Dan Derlacki with the Bend Fire Department, 14 fire personnel responded to a reported structure fire at 1515 NE Burgess about 8:30 p.m. August 20 and found flames coming from the rear of the single-story home. ... [full story]

Two 19-year-old men were cited for reckless burning and illegal dumping of solid waste on public land in connection with a vehicle which was set afire on Spur Road north of the Tollgate subdivision in Sisters, Oregon. Shortly after 7 p.m. on Sunday August 20, Deschutes County 911 Dispatch received a report of fire and heavy smoke at the location, said Sgt. Dan Bilyeu. Firefighters from the Sisters, Camp Sherman Fire Department, United States Forest ... [full story]