Large forest debris pile burns at La Pine logging yard

A large pile of forest debris caught fire in a La Pine logging yard early Wednesday, putting up a large smoke plume as company crews worked to extinguish it, officials said.

La Pine Fire District crews were called to Tom Harmon Logging on Russell Road shortly before 3 a.m., on reports that a large industrial forest debris pile had started to burn, Fire Chief Mike Supkis said.

The logging business got the fire contained with its own heavy equipment and personnel, Supkis said.

While the cause is unknown, Supkis also said it’s not unusual for spontaneous combustion to occur in a chemical reaction from a large pile of woody debris, if the moisture and heat content is just right.

Supkis said the fire was “in the center of their logging yard” and did not threaten to expand beyond its boundaries. Workers with the business used bulldozers and fire hoses to break up the pile and work on dousing the fire.

“They sit on it until its completely out,” he said. “As long as they monitor it safely, it’s good. Our guys went out, but we didn’t do a lot of work on it. I have to hand it to the logging outfit, they were prepared.”

NewsChannel 21’s efforts to reach the business for comment were unsuccessful.