Campfire escapes, sparks brushfire near Black Butte

Two campers’ warming fire escaped and sparked a brushfire near Highway 20 and Black Butte Thursday morning, burning about of an acre – and serving as a reminder that the woods remain very dry as summer draws to a close.

Deschutes County sheriff’s deputies. Black Butte Ranch police and fire, and Sisters-Camp Sherman firefighters responded around 6:25 a.m. to a report of a brushfire in the area of milepost 95 on Hwy. 20W, said Sgt. Troy Gotchy.

A hunter in the area called to report finding an active brushfire about 100 yards wide, Gotchy said.

Black Butte police arrived first and found the fire off Spur Road 300, across from Indian Ford Road, the sergeant said.

Fire crews arrived quickly and got a hose line around the blaze, with Forest Service firefighters helping extinguish it.

A Black Butte police officer contacted two 19-year-olds, Travis Cox of Redmond and Rexford Schostalo-Davis of Bend, and learned they had started a small warming fire, Gotchy said. Fire officials confirmed the blaze was caused by an escaped camp fire.

The two men were interviewed on scene and released, Gotchy said, adding that the investigation was turned over to U.S. Forest Service law enforcement for follow-up.