Early Morning Fire Destroys Food Truck In Tumalo (Photo) -05/12/25

A fire destroyed a food truck in the early morning hours of May 12th, at approximately 1:00 AM at the 19000 block of 7th Ave in Tumalo.  Bend Fire & Rescue and Deschutes County Sheriffs's Office responded to the incident and found flames coming through the food truck roof.  The fire was quickly extinguished and a fire investigation is currently underway for origin and cause.  At this time the cause of the fire appears to be accidental in nature, but still under investigation.  The food truck was unoccupied at the time and no injuries were reported during fire operations.  The fire did an extensive amount of damage and is considered to be a total loss to the food truck and contents.  

Vehicle Fire In Juniper Ridge Area On 5/2/25 (Photo) -05/02/25

At 7:17 am on Friday, May 2, multiple 911 callers reported a column of smoke in the Juniper Ridge area, near the Central Oregon Irrigation Hydro Plant on property owned by the City of Bend.  First arriving resources found a passenger vehicle fully engulfed, with fire spreading to a tree and adjacent vegetation.  Bend Fire & Rescue crews were able to quickly contain and extinguish the fire, with mutual aid assistance provided by a water tender from Redmond Fire.  One person was transported by ambulance to St Charles Medical Center in Bend.  

 

Upon investigation, it was determined that the vehicle, a Nissan Pathfinder SUV, was being used as living quarters and was occupied at the time of the fire.  A candle was being used to keep warm, and the candle ignited nearby combustibles inside the vehicle.  The vehicle and contents were a complete loss, estimated at $8,000.  

 

Bend Fire & Rescue would like to remind the community that anything which produces heat needs a safe space around it.  Keep anything that can burn at least 3 feet away from all heating equipment such as fireplaces and space heaters.  Make sure that fueled portable heaters are rated for indoor use.  If they are for outdoor use only, they can produce deadly carbon monoxide if used in an enclosed area.  For more safety tips, visit our website at https://www.bendoregon.gov/government/departments/fire-rescue/community-programs

Fire Under A Home In Bend 4-28-25 (Photo) -04/28/25

Bend Fire responded to a reported fire in the crawl space of a manufactured home at Rock Arbor Mobile Home Park on East Hwy 20 in Bend. Crews arrived to find black smoke coming from under the house. The fire had not spread to the interior of the house and was extinguished quickly. The homeowner and neighbors were clear of the house when we arrived.
 

The investigation determined that the owner and a neighbor were attempting to drive away rock chucks from under the house. A commercially available rodent smoke bomb was used as a means to drive them away. But this caught the plastic vapor barrier on fire under the home. By calling 911 immediately, they helped limit the damage to under the house and very little smoke damage inside. Damage is estimated at $10,000.

Bend Fire & Rescue reminds everyone to keep fire producing devices away from and under your house. Weed burners are the most common cause of these types of fires where a flame is used to remove a nuisance weed but the house is accidentally ignited, but these smoke bombs pose the same danger. This type of smoke bomb is designed to be used in fields and large open areas as a means to remove rodents. Ten feet of separation to all structures (decks, fences, houses, sheds, etc) shall be maintained for any open flame use, including rodent smoke bombs, to prevent these types of fire from happening. Never use any of these products during fire season.

Fire At WebCyclery Downtown 4-23-25 -04/23/25

Bend Fire & Rescue was dispatched for a reported fire in Web Cyclery at 157 NW Franklin Ave this morning. The bike shop is located in the historic Old Stone Church in downtown Bend, originally built in 1912.  Staff at the store reported a fire in a light fixture in the attic of the building. They attempted a fire extinguisher, stopping the flames that were first noticed in a ceiling light fixture. But the fire had spread to nearby stored goods by then. All employees and customers evacuated safely before fire crews arrived. Crews found the attic space full of smoke when they arrived and stretched hoses into the building to extinguish the fire. Bend Fire's ladder truck set up and opened holes in the roof to allow smoke out of the attic to aid in extinguishing the fire. The fire was extinguished in approximately 30 minutes. 
 

Bend Fire & Rescue investigators determined the fire to have started when a fluorescent light fixture in the attic storage room failed. The light caught fire, and the flames then spread to adjacent boxes and stored goods in the space. The quick actions of the staff by using an extinguisher while calling 911 at the same time prevented this fire from getting any worse. Damage to the building is estimated to be about $25,000. The damage to the contents of the retail space is considered extensive due to the smoke from the fire. Several dozen high end mountain bikes were destroyed in the attic space due to catching fire. But there is a potential for all clothing and soft goods in the entire building to be considered a loss if they can’t be cleaned of the smoke. This damage could range from $100,000 to $500,000 depending on the extent of damage to the retail items and whether they can be restored for retail use again or not. The business is fully insured and the insurance company had been contacted by the time Bend Fire left the scene.
 

Bend Fire & Rescue commends the actions of the staff of Web Cyclery for their quick actions in preventing this fire from getting any worse. They investigated the smell as soon as it was known. They used an extinguisher for what was a small fire to start off with. But most importantly, they started evacuating the building and calling 911 at the same time another employee was using the extinguisher. These actions ensured everyone was out safe and the fire department was on its way in the event the extinguisher wasn’t enough, as it turned out to be. Bend Fire reminds anyone that uses a fire extinguisher on a fire to call 911 at the same time. If the extinguisher puts the fire out completely, the fire department can ensure the fire didn’t spread and help with the initial clean up. If the extinguisher doesn’t put the fire out completely, we are on the way sooner than later to extinguish the fire completely.

 

 

Bend Fire & Rescue Joins Local Public Safety Agencies To Host Wildfire Preparedness Fair At COCC (Photo) -04/23/25

Bend Fire & Rescue, in partnership with the Central Oregon Fire Prevention Co-op, will host a Wildfire Preparedness Fair on Wednesday, April 30 from 5 to 8 p.m. at the Central Oregon Community College Mazama Gym (2600 NW College Way, Bend).

 

The fair is free to attend and will feature giveaways, presentations and tables throughout the evening with important safety information on topics such as:

• Protecting your home before the fire occurs
• Preparing for an evacuation with your family (including pets!)
• Staying healthy when there are high levels of smoke 
• Navigating wildfire insurance
• Grant opportunities to help keep you and your neighborhood prepared

The Central Oregon Fire Prevention Co-Op is a coordinated effort between several public safety agencies whose goal is to promote an interagency exchange of ideas and resources, like wildfire preparedness, by actively participating through coordinated fire and life safety education programs, projects and presentations. Bend Fire & Rescue is a proud partner of this organization and plays an important role in bringing wildfire safety information to Central Oregon residents.

 

For questions, please contact Bend Fire & Rescue Fire Investigator Melissa Steele at msteele@bendoregon.gov.