Bend Fire & Rescue is currently on scene of a gas leak at Northwest Saginaw and Northwest Trenton. A 4 inch gas line was struck by the contractors working on the water line project in the west hills. Juniper St from Portland to Trenton is shut as well as Saginaw from Quincy and the dead end to the east. CNG is on scene and working getting it stopped but may take a few hours to complete. The 2 closest homes have been evacuated and the rest have been asked to stay inside with all doors and windows shut. With very little wind today, all the gas is going up into the atmosphere and not tow the homes.

UPDATE- gas has been shut dow. power is being restored. CNG will be on scene for several more hours while they fix the broken line. 
 

Bend Fire & Rescue is currently on scene of a gas leak at Northwest Saginaw and Northwest Trenton. A 4 inch gas line was struck by the contractors working on the water line project in the west hills. Juniper St from Portland to Trenton is shut as well as Saginaw from Quincy and the dead end to the east. CNG is on scene and working getting it stopped but may take a few hours to complete. The 2 closest homes have been evacuated and the rest have been asked to stay inside with all doors and windows shut. With very little wind today, all the gas is going up into the atmosphere and not tow the homes.

 

Credit Bend Fire

Bend Fire & Rescue responded to a reported house fire on Cherrywood Lane in the Woodriver Village neighborhood just before 2am. First arriving crews found the fire in the attic that had vented through the roof. Crews extinguished the fire in the attic and prevented the fire from spreading into the living area of the home. The occupant awoke to the sound of crackling and then noticed an orange glow outside. She quickly evacuated with her dog and called 911. 

The fire was traced back to an improperly disposed of cigarette on the back patio the night before. The cigarette was discarded into a flower planter against the house. The dry potting soil and wooden planter ignited and then spread to the exterior of the house before getting into the attic. As the fire and smoke were all in the attic, the smoke alarms did not activate. The fire damage is approximately $100,000 to the house and contents. Crews had to pull most of the homes ceiling and insulation down inside to ensure the fire was completely out. Much of the occupants’ belongings were spared fire damaged though and crews assisted in removing as much as they could to prevent further damage. The occupant has renters’ insurance which will help ensure any damaged belongings can be cleaned and repaired. Red Cross was called in to provide the occupant with a place to stay for the next couple nights. 

As always, Bend Fire & Rescue reminds everyone to be safe with all types of smoking materials, both when in use and after. Ensuring cigarettes and all smoking materials are properly disposed of is a simple way to prevent these fires. Place cigarette butts and ash into non-combustible containers when done. Empty those containers regularly. Don’t dispose of any smoking materials, including knocking off the end of a cigarette, into dry ground cover such as bark mulch or pine needles. 

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Bend Fire & Rescue crews were dispatched to 1134 NE Penn Ave at approx 1:00am this morning. A woman and her two dogs were awoken by screaming smoke alarms in the home. She was the only resident home at the time of the incident. She awoke, heard the alarms and noticed smoke in the home, called 911 and grabbed her dogs. Crews were on scene in a matter of minutes and found the lower portion of the home, a walk-in basement, fully involved with flames coming out of the sliding glass door. The fire was knocked down in 15 minutes and crews were able to contain the fire to the basement only, with no extension into the main living quarters of the home. Unfortunately, the basement and all contents are a complete loss due to fire, smoke and water damage. Upon investigation, the woman stated she went to bed around 11:30pm and mistakenly left an unattended candle burning in the basement area. The candle was not sitting on a non-combustible plate or surface and was directly in contact with the wooden table. 

This incident could have been much worse, had the homeowners not had working smoke alarms. With the main living and sleeping quarters above the basement, she was sleeping directly above the fully involved basement. She is extremely lucky that she had smoke alarms in both the basement and the main area of the home. This was a home smoke alarm save. We encourage everyone to stop and check that their smoke alarms are working and installed correctly. Bend Fire & Rescue has a free smoke alarm program and will come to your home to assess your alarms. Please call 541-322-6300 or go on our website for more information. The estimated building loss is $75,000 and the estimated contents loss is estimated at $20,000.

Photo courtesy of Bend Fire & Rescue

At 3:02 pm on August 11, 2024, 911 began receiving calls about a small brush fire adjacent to Empire Avenue and the northbound Parkway onramp.  First arriving units found approximately ¼ acre burning in the brush just east of the onramp.  Train traffic was briefly stopped as fire crews worked adjacent to the tracks.  Forward progress of the fire was quickly stopped and the fire contained at ¼ acre with the assistance of Forest Service and Oregon Department of Forestry crews.  Oregon Department of Transportation and Bend Police Department provided traffic control in the area, with westbound Empire Avenue and the northbound Parkway onramp closed for a time.  The fire did not jump the railroad tracks, and no structures were threatened.  

The cause of the fire is under investigation at this time.

Bend Fire & Rescue would like to remind the community that despite slightly cooler temperatures, we are still in extreme fire danger.  Any fire starts are very likely to spread quickly and burn intensely.  Caution must be exercised around dry vegetation, particularly with any potential source of ignition such as cigarettes, hot vehicle exhaust and pipes, bladed equipment use, or cutting/grinding of metal.  

At 2:28 pm on Friday, August 2 2024, Deschutes County 911 Dispatch began receiving calls reporting smoke coming from a property near Milepost 132 on the east side of Highway 97. First responding units from Bend Fire & Rescue noted a visible column of smoke and added additional resources due to the risk of extreme fire behavior during a prolonged period of hot and dry weather. 

The fire ultimately charred 78 acres before it could be contained, with resources from throughout Deschutes County and Jefferson County assisting in suppression efforts.  In addition, air and ground resources from US Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management, and Oregon Department of Forestry also were instrumental in stopping the progress of the fire.  Two structural task forces from Lincoln County and Polk County that had been pre-positioned in the Redmond area by Office of State Fire Marshal were also dispatched to assist.  Bend Police, Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office, Oregon State Police, and Oregon Department of Transportation were also instrumental in this incident.

The origin of the fire was found to be on a vacant, privately owned 13 acre lot addressed as 64010 N. Hwy 97.  There are no structures on the property other than wood and wire fencing.  Upon investigation the cause of the fire was found to be a cooking fire at a camp on the property.  The resident of the camp is not known and was not located. 

Bend Fire & Rescue would like to remind the community that our fire danger is currently in the extreme category.  While natural causes of wildfire such as lightning cannot be prevented, human caused wildfires can.  According to the National Interagency Fire Center, human caused wildfires comprise 87 percent of all wildfires nationally.  Escaped debris burns and equipment use are the two leading causes of human-caused wildfires across Oregon.  Help protect your home and property from the threat of wildfire by taking simple actions to create defensible space around your home.  More information on the Own Your Zone program in Bend can be found at https://www.bendoregon.gov/government/departments/fire-rescue/emergency-preparedness/own-your-zone.  Bend Fire & Rescue offers free consultations on how you can help make your property better prepared against the threat of wildfire.