Crews stop small wildfire near Black Butte

(Update: Adding small fire stopped west of Sisters later Sunday)

A small, wind-fanned wildfire spotted early Sunday near Black Butte west of Sisters was stopped at 5 acres by crews working overnight.

The fire was spotted shortly before 1 a.m., burning off Forest Service Road 11 (Indian Ford Road), according to the Central Oregon Interagency Dispatch Center

By mid-morning, the fire had a hose lay and line around it. Crews were still on scene doing mop-up work, with three engines, two crews and two water tenders.

Officials said the fire early on was burning actively, including group torching of trees, due to downslope winds. But its forward progression was stopped quickly through line construction and burnout operations between the fire and Road 11.

The mop-up work and patrols of the fire will continue Sunday and into Monday, officials said. As a result, the public was advised of possible delays on Road 11 east of Black Butte due to fire engines and crews working on the road.

Crews responding to the fire included the Sisters-Camp Sherman, Cloverdale and Black Butte Ranch fire districts, as well as Forest Service firefighters.

Fire officials also advised the public to be “be aware of continued drying of fuels throughout Central Oregon and the current high fire danger and take precautions with campfires and driving and parking on dry grass.”

Late Sunday afternoon, a new fire broke out in grass, brush and timber about four miles west of Sisters. Officials said crews had hose laid around the fire and forward progression stopped before 5:30 p.m. — “good news on a busy day,” the Central Oregon Fire Interagency Dispatch Center tweeted.