Year in review: Oregon’s destructive wildfire season

On June 5, the Oregon Department of Forestry announced the start of wildfire season and just six days later, a fire broke out at Shevlin Park in Bend. It was the start to one of the most destructive wildfire years.

By the end of the fire season, 631,000 acres had burned in Oregon, costing $240 million to fight.

Here’s a look at some of the biggest and most noteworthy fires to hit the High Desert:

June:

Shevlin Park Fire

The 10-acre fire grew quickly, prompting road closures and evacuations. Police determined it was human-caused.

June and July were fairly quiet fire months in Central Oregon, but around the state, crews battled several large fires.

August:

County Line 2 Fire

A few small fires along Highway 26 in Warm Springs quickly grew into a 67,000-acre fire. Kah-nee-Ta Resort was evacuated and so were many residents. In Red Cross shelters, many waited to return to their homes. Initial reports said the fire started from sparks off an RV’s trailer. Federal officials are still investigating. All they’re saying at this point is that it was human-caused.

Canyon Creek Complex Fire

The 110,000-acre fire was the most destructive in Oregon, burning more than 40 homes. Many residents were fighting for their houses with their bare hands. Gov. Kate Brown visited the fire to assess the damage, and thank the firefighters, who included National Guard troops.

Cove Palisades Fire

At the end of August, at a state park near Culver, improper disposal of charcoal briquettes, mixed with high winds, quickly exploded into a 280-acre fire, burning two homes before it was stopped.