String of escaped campfires prompt Bend Fire warning

An escaped campfire in southeast Bend Thursday morning was the latest in a string of such incidents, prompting Bend firefighters to remind resident it’s still fire season and extreme caution needs to be taken with campfires.

In the past week, the Bend Fire Department has responded to several campfires that have escaped their fire rings, sparking uncontrolled fires, said Deputy Fire Marshal Dan Derlacki.

The latest one broke out Thursday morning on Cabin Lane off Ferguson Road. In this case, occupants had a campfire in their compliant fire pit the previous night , Derlacki said. However, they did not use water to extinguish the fire, Derlacki said. The ashes were spread out and dirt put on top of them. The dirt acted as an insulator for the ash and kept it hot.

Once the sun came up and the wind picked up, an ember from those still hot ashes landed in nearby dry material and started a fire that reached 1/10th of an acre before Lava Butte Fire Lookout spotted it and sent Bend Fire Department units to the scene to extinguish it.

The location of the fire pit and what they were burning was well within the Burning Regulations, Derlacki said, but not putting the fire out with water allowed the embers to stay hot and spread.

Central Oregon is still in Extreme Fire Danger levels, meaning extra precautions need to be taken if you choose to have a campfire at your home, the fire official said.

Currently, outdoor debris burning is closed throughout all of Central Oregon, including Deschutes County Rural Fire Protection District #2. Outdoor debris burning within the city limits of Bend is prohibited year round. Campfires are allowed within the City of Bend and DCRFPD#2 areas of protection but prohibited in many other areas, including all public and private forests.

Both the Oregon Department of Forestry and the U.S. Forest Service have seen a high number of human-caused fires this year, which include many escaped campfires. ODF has reported more than 200 such escaped fires in 2016 so far, and expect many more now that the temperatures are cooling off at night.

Even with the cooler weather, with no precipitation in the recent past, the surrounding forests and range land are very dry. USFS has their Public Use Restrictions in place that limit campfires to approved campgrounds only. A list of all of the USFS restrictions and approved campgrounds can be found on their websites, found below.

The Bend Fire Department strongly recommends that those who chose to burn use extreme caution and be very diligent to ensure your campfire is completely out before leaving or going inside.

There are areas within Bend’s fire district that still don’t allow campfires including many camp grounds and parks. Ensure campfires, warming fires or cooking fires are allowed in your area before lighting the fire. Many areas, including Bend, have penalties for illegal burning or you could be held liable for damage caused by a fire that escapes your control.

If you choose to have a recreational fire in the Bend area, firefighters urge you to follow these rules:
•Follow all area closures, including specific campground and park rules.
•A current copy of the Bend Fire Department burn regulations must be on site –
you can pick one up at any fire station or download one online – www.bendoregon.gov/burninginfo
•Ensure your fire is of legal size: no more than 3 feet across and 2 feet tall
•Ensure you have plenty of clearance around the fire pit: 25 feet of clearance to structures including homes, sheds, barns and fences
•Ensure that the ground is clear for 10 feet outside the fire area in all directions to prevent the fire from spreading on the ground
•If you are using a commercially made fire pit, follow all manufacture requirements for separations and clearances.
•Use a screen to prevent sparks and embers from flying
•ALL fires need to be attended at all times
•Have appropriate fire extinguishing tools on hand such as a shovel and a hose
•When done burning ensure the fire area is cold to the touch. Ensure the fire is completely out. This means stirring the fire area with water and a shovel until there is no heat left.
•Do not burn prohibited materials: plastics, garbage, stumps, wire insulation, auto bodies, mobile homes, rubber, all petroleum based products, or any animal, food service, industrial, commercial and construction waste.
•If you choose to have a recreational fire and it escapes, even if it meets all the legal requirements, you could still be liable for damages and suppression costs.

Burning information for the USFS can be found at:
http://centralorfireinfo.blogspot.com/2016/08/fire-restrictions-begin-in-central.html
http://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/deschutes/home/?cid=fsbdev3_035880
Burning information for ODF can be found at:
https://www.oregon.gov/ODF/Fire/Pages/Restrictions.aspx

The Bend Fire Department will respond to reports of illegal or unsafe burning when requested. But they ask that before you call 911 or our non-emergency dispatch (541-693-6911 ) that you attempt to make contact first to see if correction can be made without our intervention. This will help leave fire engines available for emergency fire and medical calls. If the fire has escaped, please call 911 immediately. For air quality complaints, please call Oregon DEQ at 541-388-6146 .

The Bend Fire Department offers FREE home consultations for residents and visitors. That includes reviewing defensible space, campfire areas and assist with testing your smoke alarms. Please call 541-322-6309 during normal business hours to schedule your visit.

As a reminder, debris burning regulations may vary between governmental jurisdictions within the Central Oregon area. Please contact your local fire agency for specific requirements and closures.