String of 3 small Bend brushfires deemed ‘suspicious’

Three small but suspicious brushfires broke out on vacant land along roads in various areas of Bend within three hours of each other Saturday night, fire investigators said Sunday as they asked the public for help with any information.

The first was reported at 7:18 p.m. near Northeast Jones Road and Watson Drive, said Bend Fire Battalion Chief Jeff Blake.

They were followed by ones reported at 7:49 p.m. near Northwest Buck Drive and Johnson Road, and another later, around 10:22 p.m., off Northeast 11 th Place, Blake said.

“Each of these fires caused minimal damage but appear to be suspicious in nature,” Blake said, seeking “the public’s help in gathering information regarding these fires.”

Anyone with information was asked to contact Deschutes County’s 911 non-emergency dispatch number at (541) 693-6911.

Bend Deputy Fire Marshal Jeff Bond is lead investigator, Blake said.

Mutual-aid assistance was provided by the sheriff’s office, Bend police, the U.S. Forest Service and Oregon Department of Forestry.

Another brushfire was caught small late Thursday night near the northbound Bend Parkway and Northeast Underwood Avenue, but Blake said they had not been linked to the others at this time.

Blake said they are reviewing that and other earlier fires. He acknowledged the one by Underwood and the UPS facility “most closely matches the others. Same type of area and similar time of day, but we can’t say for sure.”