Lower Deschutes wildfire fully contained

After holding the fire through hot and dry afternoon conditions several days in a row and significant mop-up work by firefighters, fire officials declared the 3,300-acre Gordon Butte Fire along the Lower Deschutes River contained at 6:30 a.m. Wednesday.

A helicopter and hotshot crews have been released, while two engines remain to patrol the fire line, which held the blaze at 3,300 acres, the Central Oregon Interagency Dispatch Center in Portland reported.

The fire was caused by a tipped-over camp stove, and investigators are working with the responsible party to learn more about the incident.

Although campfires and barbeques are prohibited on the river this time of year, gas and propane stoves are allowed.

Fire officials want to remind visitors to make sure stoves are placed on secure, non-burnable surfaces, in an area cleared of vegetation, and that they are closely monitored at all times.

Even with the proximity of water from the river, light flashy fuels or wind can cause a fire to grow very quickly and beyond the ability of someone to put it out.

With hot and dry conditions expected to persist in Central Oregon for the near future, fire officials want to remind visitors to public land to use caution. Conditions are very dry for this time of year, and wildfires could easily ignite.