Powell Butte Hwy. SUV fire sparks small brushfire

An SUV caught fire Sunday morning on the Powell Butte Highway east of Pronghorn Resort, and while everyone got out unhurt, the blaze that consumed the vehicle also sparked a small brushfire, Deschutes County sheriff’s deputies said.

Deputies responded shortly after 6 a.m. to the reported car fire north of Bend, said sheriff’s Sgt. Kevin Dizney. They arrived minutes later to find a 2004 Chevy Trailblazer fully engulfed.

Deputies learned the driver, Timothy Fry, 50, of Bend, and all occupants were able to get out without injury. They also were able to detach a boat they were towing before the flames engulfed the car, Dizney said.

While the cause of the fire was unknown, Dizney said evidence at the scene indicated fluid was leaking from the Blazer while it was on the road. The people in the SUV were alerted to the fire after believing they had blown a tire.

The fire spread to adjacent BLM land, burning a roughly 60-by-30-foot area of brush and juniper trees, the sergeant said. BLM and Bend Fire Department crews were able to keep the blaze from spreading any further.

The highway’s southbound lane was closed for about 45 minutes due to fire apparatus on the road. Dizney said U.S. Forest Service law enforcement and Oregon State Police assisted at the scene.