Mower sparks grass fire on field east of Bend

A mower being used to cut grass on a field east of Bend ignited a 3/4-acre fire in the fresh-cut, cured grass Saturday afternoon, authorities said.

Bend Fire Department firefighters responded to the reported brush fire around 4:30 p.m. in the 22000 block of Carolyn Court, off Alfalfa Market Road, Fire Inspector Steve Stenkamp said.

The first units arrived found the smoky field fire. The property owner said he had been removing the grass from the field when an accumulation of grass caught fire from the mower, Stenkamp said.

The U.S. Forest Service provided two engines and a water tender to assist in controlling the fire.

“This fire had more smoke than fire, and that got people kind of alarmed in the neighborhood, obviously,” Stenkamp said at the scene. “But we were able to get around it pretty quick.”

Stenkamp said the fire department wants to remind residents that fire danger remains extreme in the region.