The Nugget Newspaper - News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon

A blaze in a Sisters yard on Wednesday, May 15 quickly escalated to a grass fire that destroyed a canvas yurt.

Units arriving at 273 E. Black Crater Ave. witnessed an explosion with a fireball that extended 10-15 feet in the air, and was visible over the roof of the garage on scene. Personnel on scene located the origin of the fire, an approximate 25-foot diameter fire burning in debris on the ground, and extending to a wood fence at the lot line of the property.

It was later determined that the burning debris on the ground were the remnants of a 16-foot diameter canvas yurt and the contents inside. Firefighters believe the explosion/fireball came from an oil-filled heater that over-pressurized due to direct flame contact.

A nearby outdoor trampoline and two fence panels also burned.

The owner of the yurt was outside and reported seeing the yurt on fire and called 911.

The fire quickly engulfed the yurt and began to spread. Personnel on scene quickly extinguished the fire, removed fence panels, and rails from the fence that had been on fire. The fire was controlled within 10 minutes of initial dispatch.

Sisters-Camp Sherman Fire District responded with six firefighters and four emergency vehicles. An additional unit from Cloverdale brought one additional firefighter. The fire safety manager for the Sisters-Camp Sherman Fire District performed an initial investigation of the fire, and stated that the cause is still under investigation.