Fire destroys Elk Lake cabin, burns outbuilding

Authorities were looking Tuesday for the cause of a late-night fire that destroyed a cabin near Elk Lake and heavily damaged an outbuilding, a U.S. Forest Service spokeswoman said.

Oregon State Police and Deschutes County sheriff’s deputies were the first to respond to the fire, reported to dispatch at 10:37 p.m. Monday. It was first believed to be a likely brushfire, on the northwest side of the like, located 25 miles west-southwest of Bend, said Public Affairs Specialist Kassidy Kern.

The fire reported prompted the evacuation of a nearby cabin and the call-out of Sunriver, La Pine and Bend firefighters. There were no reports of any injuries.

Kern said Tuesday the fire, which was in containment lines at 1/10 of an acre, destroyed one cabin, while an outbuilding was 75 percent consumed.

Fire investigators were on scene Tuesday, with full containment of the fire expected by the end of the day.

Kern said the cabin was a “recreation residence,” meaning the owners have a special-use permit with the Forest Service.

The fire was reported located off the lake’s north loop road, near the “105 spur” of Forest Service Road 4625.

Once crews got access to the fire, they found a cabin engulfed in flames, but Sunriver’s brush rig reportedly was able to contain the fire to primarily the one cabin.

Bend Fire Battalion Chief Dave Howe said there was “no wildland involvement” as crews doused the blaze. Howe said crews from Sunriver and La Pine also provided mutual aid to the Forest Service at the scene.

People staying at one cabin reportedly were evacuated, while two others closer to the fire were unoccupied. They also said the Elk Lake Resort Lodge was well away from the fire and not threatened.

We’ll have more details as they become available, on NewsChannel 21 and at KTVZ.COM.