Shed fire sparks wildfire SE of Prineville, threatens homes

A storage shed’s bad mix of chemicals and stored clothes ignited a fire Wednesday afternoon that spread to more than 60 acres and threatened nearly a dozen homes, officials said Thursday.

Crook County Fire and Rescue said the shed’s owner was moving around some old clothes in the shed a few days ago and some stored chemicals spilled onto them.

The reaction sparked a fire that burned a boat and in turn spread to 62 acres.

The fire raced across the rimrock southeast of Prineville late Wednesday afternoon.

Crews were dispatched just after 4 p.m. to the reported fire in the area of Southeast Willowdale Drive and Lincoln Road, just outside the city limits, Fire Chief Matt Smith said.

Crews arrived to find the spreading wildland fire that threatened about 10 homes.

“We did manage to catch it — it got close to a couple of houses, within 25 feet of several houses,” said Crook County Sheriff’s Office Emergency Manager Michael Ryan.

A total of 10 engines, a water tender and ambulance responded, along with numerous police and sheriff’s deputies.

Ryan said “a fairly steep breeze from the southwest” fanned the fire in that direction.

By about 6 p.m., the fire was under control, but Smith said crews would remain on scene mopping up through the evening and they returned to complete the task Thursday