Cliff Bentz meets Prineville residents over Rowe Creek Complex fire impacts

PRINEVILLE, Ore. (KTVZ) -- U.S. Rep. Cliff Bentz held a town hall meeting in Prineville, Ore., to speak with local residents about the Rowe Creek Complex fire and hear about its impacts. The meeting lasted for more than 2 hours.

The gathering marked Bentz's fifth fire-related town hall as he has traveled across his district. The Oregon representative organized the events to better understand local perspectives on wildfire impacts and to help leaders in Washington, D.C., gain a clearer understanding of the issues facing the state.

During the meeting in Prineville, residents raised concerns on a variety of topics, ranging from rebuilding efforts after the fire to the use of firefighting aircraft. Nationwide, 80 aircraft are designated for firefighting operations, though their deployment depends on very specific conditions.

Bentz addressed the community's frustrations regarding immediate response during massive blazes, explaining the inherent challenges officials face when dealing with large-scale wildfires.

“I think what people are most were concerned about is that they would see the fire coming and they wouldn't instantly have an engine and a team helping,” Bentz said. “But when you have fires of this immense size, as one of the people persons said, you could have thousands of people and still not be able to slow it down, particularly if there's wind.”