BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) – Halloween is less than three weeks away, and there are still hundreds of firefighters working to finish containment of wildfires burning around the region and state. The over month-old Little Lava Fire 15 miles southwest of Bend has been more accurately mapped at 14,857 acres, officials said in a Saturday update.
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BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — In preparation for the November 5th General Election, the Deschutes County Clerk’s Office will test the county’s vote counting system on Monday at 2 p.m. Deschutes County Elections ensures the security and integrity of the vote-by-mail process by conducting a thorough logic and accuracy test before and after every election. The public
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BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — Deschutes County commissioners will hold a public hearing next Wednesday and consider alternative draft resolutions to assist with land management and a planned “Temporary Safe Stay Area” on city- and county-owned land at Juniper Ridge on the north end of Bend. City councilors also will take up the matter that evening.
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La PINE, Ore. (KTVZ) – A Hillsboro man on a camping and fishing trip with his father-in-law at Little Cultus Lake drowned earlier this week after both men lost their balance and fell out of their boat, Deschutes County sheriff’s deputies said Friday. The two men were unable to climb back into the boat and
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BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — The annual Lava Island Fish Rescue will kick off next Friday, October 18, and volunteers are urgently needed to assist in this important effort to save stranded fish, but organizers say ongoing Deschutes River restoration efforts may eliminate the need to do so within the next few years. As Central Oregon’s
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PORTLAND, Ore. (KTVZ) — The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality extended an air quality advisory Friday due to smoke from fires in Oregon and northern California. Smoke is expected to be worst in areas near ongoing fires, including the Mount Bachelor area and the Rail Ridge Fire (Dayville). The following areas are affected: Deschutes County
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BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — Following Wednesday’s resignation of all five members of the La Pine Parks & Recreation District Board, the Deschutes County Board of Commissioners will fill the vacancies as required by state law, starting the process with a Monday afternoon meeting. While the park district is a separate governmental entity, ORS 198.320 directs the Board
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BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — Effective immediately, the Deschutes National Forest has updated and increased the temporary emergency fire closure area on the Bend-Fort Rock Ranger District for the Bachelor Complex. The expansion of the closure area is due to continued fire activity on the Little Lava Fire as hot and dry conditions persist and incursions into
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La PINE, Ore. (KTVZ) — Investigators have identified human remains found in a wooded area north of La Pine earlier this week as an Oregon City man who had been missing from the Crescent area for over a year, Deschutes County sheriff’s deputies said Thursday. “Currently, based on the evidence and investigation thus far, foul
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Deschutes County sheriff’s candidate Sgt. Kent Vander Kamp went to court Wednesday, seeking a temporary restraining order to prevent the release of La Mesa, California Police Department personnel records from nearly 30 years ago sought by Oregon Public Broadcasting. But an error by his attorney made them available anyway.
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Deschutes County isn’t just on track to set a record for drug overdose deaths this year – it’s already there, with 27 reported in 2024, primarily due to the deadly opioid fentanyl, often combined in even more fatal fashion with methamphetamine use.
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Firefighters on the ground helped by air support have established a bulldozer line around the Pine Fire, which mapping Tuesday determined burned 6,537 acres and by Wednesday had reached 50% containment, officials said.
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The Deschutes National Forest announced Wednesday it is seeking input on the Black Butte Ranch Wildland Urban Interface Fuels Reduction project, a plan to treat 2,800 acres and reduce the threat of large wildfires to the resort community west of Sisters, which has been threatened by past blazes.
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La PINE, Ore. (KTVZ) – The discovery of human remains near Highway 97 north of La Pine Monday afternoon has prompted a death investigation by Deschutes County sheriff’s detectives and the Oregon State Police Forensics Lab, the sheriff’s office confirmed late Tuesday. Sergeant Jason Wall said the remains were found in a wooded area east
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PORTLAND, Ore. (KTVZ) — The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality issued another air quality advisory Wednesday for Deschutes County due to smoke from new and older wildfires still burning around the region. DEQ said expects the air quality advisory to last until at least Thursday evening. DEQ and partner agencies will continue to monitor smoke
Continue Reading BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — With more than 160,000 General Election ballots scheduled to be mailed to Deschutes County voters next week, County Clerk Steve Dennison is sharing important dates and information as Election Day draws near. Register or review your voter registration There is still time to register to vote or update your voter registration
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BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — Since 2021, the Deschutes County District Attorney’s Office has been offering the Emerging Adult Program, a pre-charge restorative justice initiative. This program allows young adult offenders to take accountability for their actions and redirect their lives, while prioritizing the healing and justice for those harmed by their behavior. The Emerging Adult Program
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The Bachelor Complex of fires, primarily the Little Lava Fire, grew some over the weekend, totaling 12,536 acres, but containment also grew to 68% by the 70 personnel on the lines, despite the recent warm and windy conditions at times.
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BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) – All of the containment and control lines on the Little Lava Fire held in Friday’s strong winds and the Bachelor Complex is now nearly two-thirds contained, Deschutes National Forest officials said Saturday. The 12,120-acre group of fires sparked by lightning nearly a month ago has burned 12,120 acres and is 63%
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SISTERS, Ore. (KTVZ) – Campaign signs can become a serious focus of attention as election season heats up, with some thefts and vandalism reported. But electronic reader boards can also become a target, and that led to an incident Friday morning near Sisters that prompted driver attention and a fairly quick fix. An ODOT spokeswoman
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