Bend FD: Faulty train brakes sparked string of brushfires

(Update: Bend Fire says train’s faulty brakes sparked blazes)

A string of small fires that broke out along the railroad tracks in Bend and Redmond Monday morning were sparked by faulty brakes on a passing southbound freight train, officials said.

The first two fires were tackled shortly after 9 a.m. along Highway 97 north of Hemlock Avenue in Redmond, prompting some lane closures during that effort.

Before 10 a.m. came word of several fires in the Bend area, from Cooley Road to the north to two fires north of Empire Avenue and moments later another blaze put out near the Bend Parkway’s northbound on-ramp from Butler Market Road.

“The fires were found to be relatively small, but capable of spreading fast in the dry grass and brush,” said Battalion Chief Dave Howe.

BNSF Railway stopped all trains in the area as crews stretched hoses across the tracks to extinguish the blazes, none of which grew to be large in size.

Howe said such fires are “not an unusual event,” but require a labor-intensive response in the hot, dry conditions, both on the tracks and nearby roads. To operate safely, crews closed the Empire Avenue exit on the Bend Parkway, slowing traffic for about 45 minutes.

BNSF spokesman Gus Melonas in Seattle said they are investigating what occurred . He said railroad was inspecting its trains, as well as the tracks and other structures, to be sure there was no damage.

“We hadn’t had any situations before that” reported to the railroad in the area Monday morning, Melonas said.

“We inspect every day, but we’re going to run extra inspectors,” the BNSF spokesman said, adding that the railroad crews assisted firefighters with such tools as an 80-gallon fire suppression unit.

“We’re working in the area, we’re switching customers” rail cars, Melonas said. “We do that every day. This isn’t the only area where there’s grass on the right of way.”

Sunday brought record or near-record heat to much of the High Desert.