Photo courtesy of Bend Fire & Rescue

At 1244 am on April 14, 2024, Bend Fire & Rescue was dispatched to a reported structure fire at 21910 Rickard Rd.  Initial reports were of a barn fire that was spreading to a nearby residence.  On arrival, crews found an approximately 1,400 square foot shop/storage building fully involved in fire, with extension to nearby trees, vegetation, and the exterior of a small house nearby.  The fire was quickly knocked down, with crews taking a defensive stance on the shop and protecting nearby structures.  The shop and contents were a complete loss.  The fire had extended to the exterior of the small house, and while it did not do significant damage to the interior, the structure was not livable due to the damage.  The occupant declined Red Cross assistance.  Total damage is estimated at $200,000.  

UPDATE:

Due to the severity of the damage to the shop building, the exact cause of the fire could not be determined.  The damage estimate remains at approximately $200,000 and includes damage to the exterior of small residential structure, the shop/storage building, one small tractor, one passenger car, two pickup trucks, and two small travel trailers, along with personal belongings stored in the building.  

Bend Fire & Rescue would like to remind the community that working smoke alarms save lives.  In this case, only a single smoke alarm was present in the home, the other having been removed when it malfunctioned recently. Fortunately, the occupant was awakened by the fire when they heard what sounded like a large object falling outside, but a working smoke alarm is still the best way to get an early warning and have time to safely evacuate.  Not sure if yours work?  Check them today, and if they're more than 10 years old, replace the entire alarm.  For more information on home fire safety, visit our website at https://www.bendoregon.gov/government/departments/fire-rescue/safety-tips-emergency-preparedness.

Credit Bend Fire

Bend Fire and Rescue was dispatched to the Scandia Village RV Park, 725 NE Ross Road, at 04:48 in the morning of April 4^th, 2024 for a reported structure fire. Neighbors were awoken to a loud noise and went outside to find their neighbors recreational vehicle fully engulfed with flames. The occupants were not home at the time of the fire and no one was injured. Bend Fire and Rescue crews arrived on the scene to find the 5^th wheel RV fully involved with fire. The crews were able to extinguish the fire and prevented damage to the neighboring structures. The owner’s recreational vehicle and trailer were both damaged in the fire. The RV, storage trailer and contents are considered a complete loss, with a value of $75,000. 

Bend Fire and Rescue and Bend Police Department are investigating the fire, and the fire is still under investigation. More information may be released as it becomes available. 

Bend Fire and Rescue would like to remind the community of some simple safety tips for their recreational vehicles. Whether you use your RV as your residence, for travelling, or both, it's important to understand fire prevention and safety of your vehicle to protect you and your family.. Always have a working smoke alarm and carbon monoxide alarms in your Recreational vehicles. Bend Fire and Rescue would also like to encourage individuals the keep a minimum of 5 feet between vehicles to prevent the possibility of fire damage from one vehicle to the next. Lastly, have a fire extinguisher installed near the primary exit and know how to use it. When in doubt, get out and call 911.

2794_NE_Hope_Dr_fire_photo_2024-04-02.jpg

Bend Fire and Rescue responded to a reported residential structure fire at 2794 NE Hope Drive. The occupants were home at the time and noticed smoke in the garage. The two occupants evacuated and called 911 immediately. Our crews arrived on scene to find fire showing on the outside of the garage. The fire was traveling from the ground to the second story of the outside of the residents. Crews were able to stop the fire with a quick attack and kept the fire from spreading. The fire was extinguished, and the fire was prevented from spreading to nearby neighboring structures. The fire damage ultimately spread to the garage, attic, and 2^nd floor walls.

The fire was due to the resident burning weeds with a propane torch. The hot embers spread from the ground to the nearby structure. The estimated damage was $100,000. There was damage to the exterior wall and electrical components of the house. 

This is the second structure fire this week in the city of Bend Due to debris burning. Bend Fire and Rescue would like to remind you that debris burning is prohibited within city limits, this includes weed burners. In the city of Bend campfires, warming fires, commercial fire pits and BBQ burning is allowed. Debris burning is also allowed outside the city limits of Bend if burn regulations are being followed. 10-foot separation between combustibles and any burning is required at all times. www.bendoregon.gov/burninginfo

Credit Bend Fire

Bend fire department was dispatched for a barn fire on 97^th St in Tumalo at 6:30pm this evening. The homeowner came out of the house to find his detached barn on fire and called 911. Resources from Bend, Redmond and Cloverdale fire departments responded to the fire. Crews were able to quickly stop the fire and keep it from spreading to adjacent vehicles and buildings. The barn and its contents are considered a complete loss, $75,000. There were no animals in the barn at the time of the fire. 

The occupants had been burning weeds earlier in the day with a propane torch, up against the barn. The barn did not immediately catch fire but had smoldered for several hours before being noticed. 

Bend Fire Department, along with all fire departments in Central Oregon, have burning regulations in place to help prevent these types of fires. All burning is required to be 10 feet from other combustibles to help prevent just this type of fire. Even though the barn had metal siding, it is attached to wood framing and planking. The wood was not completely covered by the metal and the torch was able to ignite it. Be sure to check with your local fire department for specific burning regulations for your area. You can find Bend Fire Department’s burning regulations and helpful burning tips at www.bendoregon.gov/burninginfo