News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
Tollgate residents got a reminder of just how immediate fire danger can be on Saturday afternoon, June 28, when a small blaze erupted between the subdivision and Highway 20 to the north.
Fire crews responded quickly and got a wet line around the blaze, which burned about 260 yards north of the houses on the Conestoga cul-de-sac.
Winds were low and the blaze held low to the ground, burning about 1/4 acre.
Still, it was an eye-opening experience for residents, as law enforcement officers visited surrounding houses to warn them of the situation. The officers could have initiated an evacuation if the fire had blown up.
According to Travis Moyer of the Oregon Department of Forestry, the blaze was caused by a cigarette.
Residents breathed a sigh of relief, only to start coughing on the pall of smoke from the Davis Lake fire southwest of La Pine. Though smoke was much lighter in Sisters than it was in Bend and Redmond, the dense cloud on the horizon was a reminder that summer heat and increased human activity in the woods make for extreme fire danger.
Another cigarette-sparked blaze flared up west of Sisters near the head of Jack Creek. Fire units from all around Sisters mobilized quickly, though they were able to stand down as it became apparent that the fire was under control.
The quick and heavy response was indicative of how seriously fire agencies are taking the potential for a conflagration.
The Jack Creek fire was doused at only 1/10th of an acre, Moyer said.
Jim Cornelius is editor in chief of The Nugget and author of “Warriors of the Wildlands: True Tales of the Frontier Partisans.” A history buff, he explores frontier history across three centuries and several continents on his podcast, The Frontier Partisans. For more information visit www.frontierpartisans.com.
Reader Comments(0)