Strong storms down trees, traps vehicles near Sunriver airport

SUNRIVER, Ore. (KTVZ) — A sudden and powerful storm swept through parts of Sunriver Wednesday afternoon, toppling trees, blocking roads and briefly trapping vehicles near the Sunriver Airport.

According to Chuck Rosenfeld, who identified himself as part of the Sunriver Citizen Patrol, the storm hit around 3 p.m. following a thunderstorm that brought heavy rain and hail to the Sunriver Village and Business Park.

Rosenfeld said hangar doors at the airport began rattling before multiple trees came crashing down across River Road and into the airport parking area.

In this case, several large Jeffrey pines near the airport terminal were either uprooted or snapped. Some vehicles in the parking lot were trapped and sustained minor damage. Despite the intensity of the winds, no damage to aircraft tied down on the ramp was reported.

The storm also brought down additional trees along River Road just south of the Sunriver Stables, blocking both the roadway and nearby bike path.

Sunriver Owners Association Public Works crews responded quickly, using chainsaws and a front-end loader to clear debris. Crews cut and removed fallen trees, trimmed obstructing limbs and pushed debris off the roadway.

River Road was reopened within about an hour.

While storm response is not part of their routine duties, Public Works crews are trained to handle emergency situations. Their rapid response helped restore access and maintain safety in the area following the storm.