Hot ashes spark fire

A driver for High Country Disposal got a fiery surprise as he hauled his load from Black Butte Ranch to Redmond on Thursday morning, March 29.

As he pulled through Sisters and down Highway 126, he noticed that his load was smoking. He stopped and got out to see the paint blistering on the side of his truck as the trash he carried began to burn.

The driver pulled into a wide, dirt turnout and dumped his load.

The Sisters fire department was summoned and they knocked the fire down in minutes.

According to Assistant Fire Chief Ken Enoch, the blaze was sparked by careless disposal of ashes.

"There was all kind of ashes in there, like someone was doing yard burning or (cleaning) their fireplace or something and put it in the dumpsters out there (at Black Butte Ranch)," Enoch said.

That, clearly, is a really bad idea.

Enoch said that ashes should never be put in the trash until it is absolutely certain the are "good and out."

The best way to assure that is to put them in a metal bucket, mix water in and swirl the mix around.

"I let mine sit out for a few days before I dispose of them," Enoch said.

It is also possible to bury the ashes or use them in the garden.