A structure fire of a single-family house started in the early morning hours of May 1^st in the northeast side of Bend.  Two occupants were awoken by a working smoke alarm in a spare bedroom in their home around 05:00 on Wednesday, May 1^st.  Occupants awoke hearing an active smoke alarm and went to see what the problem was.  Occupants saw hazy smoke in the nearby kitchen and spare bedroom and called 911.  On further investigation they noticed smoke coming out of an exterior wall and saw fire on the exterior of their house through a bedroom window.  Occupants attempted extinguishment and Bend Fire Crews quickly arrived and extinguished the remaining fire, limiting it to the spare bedroom.  The cause of the fire has been determined to be ashes removed from a woodstove the day prior and placed in a combustible container on the exterior of the house.  Working smoke alarms alerted the occupants, that were asleep at the time, of the fire incident in the early stages of fire growth.  By having working smoke alarms alert the occupants, damage was limited to one area of a spare bedroom and no injuries were reported to either the occupants or fire crews.

            When removing ashes from a wood stove always assume they are hot, having potential to ignite combustible materials.  Always place ashes in a non-combustible, metal container, well away from other combustibles and extinguish with water before disposing of cold ashes. Ashes can remain hot enough to ignite combustible materials for several days or longer, if not properly extinguished.  Bend Fire & Rescue would also like to remind everyone to check for working smoke alarms in their homes.  More information on smoke and carbon monoxide alarms, and assistance, can be found on the City of Bend Fire & Rescues website, under Community Programs.

Bend Fire Department was called to a fire on the exterior of a commercial building at 9:30 this evening. Multiple 911 calls reported a fire behind the warehouses and businesses at NE 1^St St and NE Olney Ave. The occupant of 147 NE Olney Ave was working on prepping the space for her new business when she heard several bangs outside the building. When she came out ash was falling in the parking lot and she immediately called 911. Fire crews were able to get the fire stopped before it could spread inside the building it was adjacent to and keep it from the two neighboring buildings. Damage to the building is estimated to be $50,000. 

The remains of an encampment were found burned up in the fire behind the building. Its unclear at this time the exact cause of the fire but it is related to the camp. The investigation is ongoing. The fire only caused minor damage to both the building at 147 NE Olney Ave and the building to the west of it. The quick reaction of the occupant saved Her’s and neighboring buildings. 

Hampering fire suppression and allowing the fire to spread was a accumulation of pallets, wood, stored materials, and flammable vegetation on all three properties involved. Creating a defensible space around your home and business isn’t just for wildfire safety, it can help prevent the spread of any type of fire to your building. Keeping combustible vegetation at least 5 feet back from the building and preventing the buildup of combustible storage, especially in inaccessible areas, can greatly increase the safety of your home and business. In this case, the two buildings along NE 2^nd St had wood material stacked up between and behind their buildings. The building behind the fire off NE 1^st St had dense juniper bushes right up against the building in an area with only 10 feet between the buildings. The juniper bushes caught fire and broke out one of the windows in the back building. Had this fire not been caught as early as it was the potential that all three buildings would have burned is very high. If you have any questions or would like a free assessment of your home or business, please call our office at 541-322-6300. 

Photo courtesy of Bend Fire & Rescue

At 1244 am on April 14, 2024, Bend Fire & Rescue was dispatched to a reported structure fire at 21910 Rickard Rd.  Initial reports were of a barn fire that was spreading to a nearby residence.  On arrival, crews found an approximately 1,400 square foot shop/storage building fully involved in fire, with extension to nearby trees, vegetation, and the exterior of a small house nearby.  The fire was quickly knocked down, with crews taking a defensive stance on the shop and protecting nearby structures.  The shop and contents were a complete loss.  The fire had extended to the exterior of the small house, and while it did not do significant damage to the interior, the structure was not livable due to the damage.  The occupant declined Red Cross assistance.  Total damage is estimated at $200,000.  

UPDATE:

Due to the severity of the damage to the shop building, the exact cause of the fire could not be determined.  The damage estimate remains at approximately $200,000 and includes damage to the exterior of small residential structure, the shop/storage building, one small tractor, one passenger car, two pickup trucks, and two small travel trailers, along with personal belongings stored in the building.  

Bend Fire & Rescue would like to remind the community that working smoke alarms save lives.  In this case, only a single smoke alarm was present in the home, the other having been removed when it malfunctioned recently. Fortunately, the occupant was awakened by the fire when they heard what sounded like a large object falling outside, but a working smoke alarm is still the best way to get an early warning and have time to safely evacuate.  Not sure if yours work?  Check them today, and if they're more than 10 years old, replace the entire alarm.  For more information on home fire safety, visit our website at https://www.bendoregon.gov/government/departments/fire-rescue/safety-tips-emergency-preparedness.

Credit Bend Fire

Bend Fire and Rescue was dispatched to the Scandia Village RV Park, 725 NE Ross Road, at 04:48 in the morning of April 4^th, 2024 for a reported structure fire. Neighbors were awoken to a loud noise and went outside to find their neighbors recreational vehicle fully engulfed with flames. The occupants were not home at the time of the fire and no one was injured. Bend Fire and Rescue crews arrived on the scene to find the 5^th wheel RV fully involved with fire. The crews were able to extinguish the fire and prevented damage to the neighboring structures. The owner’s recreational vehicle and trailer were both damaged in the fire. The RV, storage trailer and contents are considered a complete loss, with a value of $75,000. 

Bend Fire and Rescue and Bend Police Department are investigating the fire, and the fire is still under investigation. More information may be released as it becomes available. 

Bend Fire and Rescue would like to remind the community of some simple safety tips for their recreational vehicles. Whether you use your RV as your residence, for travelling, or both, it's important to understand fire prevention and safety of your vehicle to protect you and your family.. Always have a working smoke alarm and carbon monoxide alarms in your Recreational vehicles. Bend Fire and Rescue would also like to encourage individuals the keep a minimum of 5 feet between vehicles to prevent the possibility of fire damage from one vehicle to the next. Lastly, have a fire extinguisher installed near the primary exit and know how to use it. When in doubt, get out and call 911.