Bend Transients Cited for Escaped Campfire

An escaped campfire at a transient camp by a northeast Bend church raced across about 2 acres of brush Thursday afternoon, sending up a tall column of smoke and briefly closing Hwy. 20E as it threatened power lines, a substation and the church, which was evacuated. The transients, who called 911 and tried to douse the blaze, were cited for reckless burning.

Bend firefighters responded along with the Oregon Department of Forestry, U.S. Forest Service and Deschutes County sheriff?s deputies to the brushfire, reported around 2:20 p.m. in a field behind the Christian Life Center off Highway 20, a quarter-mile east of Hamby Road, said Deputy Fire Marshal T.J. Johannsen.

The large column of smoke could be seen for many miles, she said.

Crews found brush and trees burning large tract of vacant land, Johannsen said. Crews quickly encircled the fire at 2.6 acres, with no damage to structures, and remained on scene for hours to make sure the blaze did not rekindle, she said.

Investigators found that transients living on the property had lit a campfire for cooking when embers escaped and ignited the nearby, dry grass and brush. They quickly called 911 and tried to put out the blaze, to no avail, Johannsen said.

The fire for a time threatened nearby high-voltage power lines, a power substation and the Christian Life Center, all along Highway 20.

Sheriff?s deputies cited the transients for reckless burning, Johannsen said.

Highway 20 was shut from 27th Street east to Erickson Road around 2:40 p.m. but was reopened within 15 minutes.

Shortly after 3 p.m., firefighters reported having a line around the blaze, stopping its spread, and were moving into mop-up operations.

The deputy fire marshal noted the extreme fire danger in the area, with high temperatures, low humidity and dry winds.