Smoker cited after brush fire breaks out by Bend Parkway, near Trader Joe’s

Southbound lanes were closed for a time; no damage to buildings

(Update: Adding video; transient cited; more from police)

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) – A small brush fire Monday afternoon put up a plume of black smoke south of Trader Joe’s on Bend’s north end, closing the southbound Bend Parkway for a time. Officials said it was caused by a transient smoking in the area, who was cited.

The fire was called in at 3:23 p.m. and brought two engine crews to the scene, said Bend Fire & Rescue Battalion Chief Trish Connolly.

Crews arrived to find a fire burning in brush, grass and extending to one tree.

Connolly said the fire broke out near the southeast corner of Trader Joe's, on land owned by the grocery chain and ODOT, and burned about 1/10th of an acre, with no damage to any buildings or dollar losses.

She said she was unaware of any evacuations that resulted.

Several witnesses said a transient man had said he accidentally sparked the fire and was seen leaving the area, said Bend police Sgt. Cindy Ksenzulak.

Police located the 59-year-old transient a short distance away, she said, and he admitted the fire was ignited by a lighter he'd been using and had tried to put it out himself.

The fire and smoke prompted closure of the southbound parkway lanes within minutes, but fire crews stopped its forward progress and the lanes were reopened by 3:45 p.m., though traffic backups lingered.

Firefighters were conducting mop-up operations at the scene.

"Please remember," Connolly wrote in a news release, "with the hot dry weather we are experiencing, fuels are very dry and fires will ignite easily and spread quickly. People need to be extremely cautious with any materials that can cause a fire in the city and forest lands."