Standing by: Crossroads residents wait out wildfire

Residents in the Crossroads subdivision near Sisters have experienced wildfires before. They have defensible space around their homes and evacuation plans, but that does not make the Pole Creek Fire any less scary.

“If this forest burned, it would never be any good the rest of my life,” Crossroads resident Gene Todd said Thursday.

On Sunday night, with a towering column of smoke over his home, Todd loaded up his trailer and took off with his kitten, Teddy.

“As I recall, they said this is a fast-moving fire and it’s not under any control,” said Todd.

After 22 years living in the Deschutes National Forest, Todd is ready for the worst, but insurance can’t rebuild memories.

“It would be heartbreaking to lose this place,” Todd said of his home.

Scorching more than 5,000 acres, the blaze has all the Crossroads residents feeling the heat.

“You know, you lose your house and you have to find a place to stay — there’s things that are irreplaceable,” said another Crossroads resident, Gaylene Craven.

Craven evacuated her horses earlier this week. With the blaze barely contained, she doesn’t trust Mother Nature.

“If the winds pick up correctly, we’re in trouble,” said Craven.

Todd ditched his plans for fishing on the Coast, too afraid to leave Teddy and his home in the shadow of the fire.

“Even though we’re aware we could have a catastrophe fire-wise, we just like it so well, it’s worth it, and we just try to be ready,” said Todd.