Blaze damages home east of Sisters

Cloverdale Rural Fire Protection District crews, joined by Sisters-Camp Sherman Fire District, were dispatched to a structure fire on Cascade Estates Drive off Highway 20, on Tuesday, June 27, just before 5 p.m.

Cloverdale crews arrived to find a fire burning on the second-floor exterior of the 2,200-square-foot house and extending into the attic, fanned by strong winds.

A neighbor who reported hearing an explosion noticed the fire, called 911 and tried to put out the fire with a garden hose, but it was too far involved by that time to extinguish it.

The rental home was occupied by several people, who had just left a short time earlier.

Mutual-aid support was sought from the Crooked River Ranch and Bend fire departments to relieve fatigued crews, as the firefighting and mop-up had firefighters on scene for close to four hours.

Five engines, three water tenders and two brush trucks were called out while the Oregon Department of Forestry checked the area for any embers that could have sparked a wildfire. Crews were successful in preventing the spread into the adjacent brush.

Fire Chief Thad Olsen estimated damage to the home at more than $80.000, with the second floor of the home receiving a substantial amount of damage.

"Our crews did a tremendous job in stopping a fast-moving, wind-driven fire and prevented it from becoming much worse," he

said.

The cause of the fire is under investigation. The Deschutes County Sheriff's Office was joined by the Oregon State Fire Marshal's Office and Oregon State Police at the scene. Investigators have determined the fire began in the area where evidence is consistent with the production of a butane hash oil, or BHO.

Chief Olsen noted that residents should have a clearly marked, reflective address sign for their home. In addition, make sure that you have cut back trees and limbs in your driveway that may block fire apparatus from reaching your home.

"Our fire trucks and ambulances are much larger than most vehicles," he said. "I recommend cutting back trees and limbs from your driveway to create a clear path of at least 20 feet wide and 12 feet tall as this will allow our fire/medical crews to gain access to your home in times of need."

Address signs are available from both Cloverdale and Sisters-Camp Sherman Fire Districts. Check with your local fire district for details.