Sunriver/Three Rivers residents pack meeting to get official updates on the Little Lava Fire, Bachelor Complex

SUNRIVER, Ore. (KTVZ) – It was standing room only Wednesday night at Three Rivers Elementary School as hundreds of concerned residents were eager to learn more about the wildfire threatening to force evacuations, as well as fire safety, wildfire prevention and emergency response strategies.

At Three Rivers School, the various agencies involved in the fight to stop the Little Lava Fire, largest of the Bachelor Complex, met with the community to ease their minds, answer questions and give them an update on what's now being called the Bachelor Complex.

Representatives from the firefighting team opened the meeting by discussing the recent uptick in fire-related incidents in the area, underscoring the importance of vigilance, especially during dry seasons, and improving fire preparedness by fostering stronger cooperation with residents over the Bachelor Complex Fire which is massive.

Nathan Goodrich, National Incident Management Team:

“The Bachelor Complex Fire is a group of fires originally centered around Mt. Bachelor. There was about two dozen fires that were originally in that complex, ranging in size from a 10th of an acre all the way up to where Little Lava Fire is now, which is a little over 10,000 acres, and then it also includes two fires on the far east side of the Bend Fort Rock Ranger District, and that's the Flattop Fire and the Firestone Fire.”

The Bachelor Complex Fire rated as the highest prioritization in the country. Out of those fires, which one poses the biggest risk to residents?

"Currently it is the Little Lava Fire, which is approximately five miles west of Sunriver,” said Goodrich.

All three levels of evacuation are currently in play:

• Level 1 – be ready
• Level 2 – be set
• Level three – go now

The Bend, La Pine School District says, they have prepared both students and parents at Three Rivers Elementary.

Scott Maben, Bend-La Pine Schools:

“If we were to have students in school and suddenly we were in a situation where we would need to evacuate, we would have busses here very quickly, we would load up the students and we would transport them to another site where they could be reunited with their families.”

Members of the community say they are thankful for what was done prior to the fires.

Bill Inman, Three Rivers resident, said “I think the biggest thing that I've appreciated as this fire approached is the amount of fire fuel reduction that was done over the last few years in the Deschutes National Forest.”

One of the main takeaways from the meeting was to direct residents and others where they can get Deschutes National Forest updates on the fires, as well as Deschutes County updates on evacuations as it relates to the Bachelor Complex fires, as well as other fires burning in our region