Fire crews knock down shed fire

Quick response by the homeowner and by local firefighters prevented a woodshed fire from being much worse.

According to Sisters Fire Marshal Dave Wheeler, a still-hot barbecue smoker pushed against the wall of a woodshed sparked a fire at a home on Creekside Court in Sisters Monday afternoon. The homeowner hosed it down, which held the fire at bay just enough to allow firefighters to respond and attack the blaze.

The concrete siding on the side of the house prevented the fire from spreading from the attached shed to the house itself.

"Luckily we had all the help from Black Butte Ranch (Fire Department)," Wheeler said. "That helped a lot."

The shed and the firewood it contained were consumed, but otherwise damage was light. Some siding and wiring will probably have to be replaced, Wheeler said.

The fire marshal noted that homeowners should "be careful with barbecues and smokers... Don't put them up against a building - especially when they're still warm. Put them in the middle of the deck and leave them there."