2 months of preparation helped Bend crews knock down Pilot Butte’s Fourth of July fireworks fires

(Update: Adding video, Bend Fire comments)

Three were stopped very small, others grew to 50-by-200 feet

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) -- Some call it a tradition, and there's plenty of work done by Bend Fire & Rescue and the fireworks providers to pre-position and prep the slopes of Pilot Butte for any spot fires from the Fourth fireworks show.

It's a good thing, as Tuesday night's post-show spot-fire activity showed.

The show - touted as bigger than ever - sparked a total of six spot fires on its slopes, Bend Deputy Fire Marshal Dan Derlacki said Wednesday.

Three were three small spot fires of about 3 square feet each and three others grew larger, as dry grass and brush caught fire, Derlacki said. The embers from one fire on the southwest side of the butte sparked a second, each growing to about 50 by 200 feet.

Bend Fire & Rescue had stationed four fire engines and two crews on the butte for the show.

The team begins preparing the butte two months in advance, clearing weeds, watering down the summit and spreading out thousands of feet of hoses.

"Crews were able to get down the hill quickly to (the fires), get water to them really quickly, and get them out in a very quick manner," Derlacki said.

He said there was little wind at show time, fortunately, helping crews keep the fires from growing too large.

In those fires, two juniper trees were set ablaze but, thanks to no wind, Derlacki said the flames went "straight up, and right back down," making it much easier for crews to put them out.

Another small fire was reported Tuesday evening at Al Moody Park on NE Daggett Lane, but was quickly put out. No one was located at the scene.

Locals shared their excitement and worry about the show following its "burn the butte" tradition every year, but most agreed the display was great.