Fire destroys cabin in Camp Sherman, reaches trees

A fire late Wednesday night destroyed an unoccupied rental cabin near the Metolius River in Camp Sherman, but firefighters stopped it from spreading farther into the surrounding woods, officials said Thursday.

Sisters-Camp Sherman Fire District crews were dispatched just after 11 p.m. to the reported fire after a citizen reported seeing a fire in the distance that could have been the House on Metolius, a 200-acre private resort and nature reserve on the Metolius River.

The first crews approaching the scene reported a very active fire, about 3/4 of an acre, with 2- to 4-foot flame lengths in some areas, climbing into trees and threatening a nearby structure, fire district Public Information Officer Julie Spor said.

A closer look revealed the fire was most active in the remnants of a structure that had been destroyed and was still burning actively, she said.

Crews worked fast to stop the fire spreading into the surrounding vegetation, then turned to putt out the flames in the cabin’s remains.

The Gorge Cabin, part of the House on Metolius property, was a complete loss, estimated at $160,000 in value, Spor said.

No injuries were reported. The Oregon Office of State Fire Marshal was due on the scene Thursday to help investigate the fire’s cause.

Spor said mutual-aid assistance from the Black Butte Ranch and Cloverdale fire departments “prevented this incident from becoming much worse,” the fire district spokeswoman said.

The Sisters-Camp Sherman district sent seven firefighters and four emergency vehicles to the scene. More units from Cloverdale and Black Butte Ranch brought another six firefighters.