Fast-moving La Pine brushfire stopped small

A fast-moving brushfire put out by La Pine firefighters on Wednesday was a holdover from pile burning early last month,, officials said.

La Pine Rural Fire Protection District and Oregon Department of Forestry crews responded around 11:40 a.m. to the fire, being pushed by light winds and warm temperatures at 51638 Dorrance Meadow Road, said Fire Chief Mike Supkis.

The fire district and ODF responded with six engines and a water tender, and were able to protect three threatened structures and contain the fire to less than a quarter-acre, Supkis said.

Firefighters found that the blaze originated on a property owned by Oliver Bastien of Spokane, Wash., and was caused from a holdover from pile burning earlier the previous month, Supkis said.

The burn pile had been placed over an old tree stump and not on bare mineral soil, and that allowed a deep-seated fire to creep along the root system and the duff, he said.

Warm and dry conditions along with light winds dry out the surface vegetation, and the fire then flashed on the light fuels, brush and trees.