SE Redmond wildfire update: Evacuation area, levels reduced, Redmond Airport, Hwy. 126 reopen
(Update: More on La Pine-area fire)
REDMOND, Ore. (KTVZ) -- A fast-spreading wildfire broke out early Tuesday afternoon in southeast Redmond and may have sparked a second, larger fire, both putting up thick smoke, closing Highway 126 and prompting wide evacuations and call-up of several task forces, as well as closure of the Redmond Airport for several hours, officials said.
The first fire, called the Antler Fire, was reported shortly after noon in the area of Southeast Ninth Street and Highway 126, as temperatures in the region again soared toward 100 degrees and new fires broke out in numerous places.
The first southeast Redmond fire, Incident 419, was estimated at 20 acres less than an hour after reported, with a task force of engine crews from the Forest Service, BLM and Oregon Department of Forestry supporting Redmond Fire, Forest Service Public Affairs Officer Kassidy Kern said.
There soon were two fires, one, the Antler Fire by Ninth Street and Evergreen Avenue and a new fire, Incident 422, north of the Redmond Air Center, where Forest Service firefighters work and tankers load fuel and retardant.
Erratic winds were whipping up Incident 422, just north of the Redmond Air Center, and a heavy air tanker was ordered to drop retardant and assist crews in stopping the fire at Highway 126. Water-dropping helicopters were working to cool hot spots. Originally estimated at 200 acres, officials Tuesday evening reduced the fire's estimated size to 50-100 acres.
Shortly 3 p.m. came this word: "Due to adjacent fire activity, the Redmond Municipal Airport is CLOSED until further notice. Have flight questions, please contact your air carrier directly." Flights were diverted to other airports. City Manager Keith Witcosky told councilors Tuesday evening the airport had reopened.
At mid-afternoon, the evacuation area had expanded south of Highway 126 to include the area east of SE Lake Rd to Veterans Way to SE Sisters Ave. to Highway 126.
Redmond Mayor George Endicott said, "The wind is blowing, which is obviously one of the worst things you can have added to this head of 110 (degrees). Makes for a terrible situation."
Two residents of the area were preparing, in case they had to leave.
Eric Gibb said, "We've got the sprinklers going. We're trying to be as defensible as we can, but they say we've got to get out of here, so we're trying to pack up and be ready."
Jed Grieninger said, "I'm going to stay as long as I can, but if it gets too close -- I'm no fireman, so I'll kick rocks when I have to. But I'm hoping that the men and women that are fighting it are getting it taken care of."
Due to the nearby fire "and out of an abundance of caution," COCC announced late Tuesday afternoon it was evacuating and closing its Redmond campus, until further notice.
Into the evening, Highway 126 eastbound access was closed at Highway 97 and Northeast Ninth Street was closed from Highway 126 to Hemlock Avenue.
One lane of Highway 126 reopened by 6 p.m., with ODOT flagging traffic in alternating directions, and other area streets reopened. Highway 126 fully reopened shortly before nightfall.
An interactive Deschutes County map of the evacuation zones is at:
Late Tuesday night, the fire evacuation map was updated to reflect Level 3 (Go) only in the immediate fire area, with other areas to the west and north reduced to Level 1 (Be Ready). The area north of NE Hemlock Avenue was no longer in the evacuation zone.
Around 1:30 p.m., the city of Redmond posted on Facebook:
"EVACUATION NOTICE:
The following areas are being asked to evacuate:
Hwy 97-E Antler Ave-SE 9th St-Hwy 126-Hwy 97
EVACUATION ADVISORY:
The following areas are under an evacuation advisory:
NW of E. Antler Ave. to NE 9th St.
STREET CLOSURES:
The following streets have been closed:
E. Antler Ave. - E. Hwy 97
All streets north of Hwy 126 from Hwy 97 to NE 9th St.
All streets south of Antler Ave. from Hwy 97 east past NE 17th St.
Crews are on scene and working to contain the blaze. Cause of fire has not yet been determined."
At mid-afternoon, the fire evacuation area expanded north to Hemlock Avenue. The initial fire was contained, city officials said, but the second, larger fire was spreading north from Highway 126.
The Pet Evacuation Team said it was called by BrightSide Animal Center to help evacuate the shelter. Volunteers showed up with crates and successfully emptied the shelter.
Winds caused big issues with spot fires on another day of over-100-degree weather.
ODOT reported at mid-afternoon that Highway 126 was closed at milepost 2, and earlier said SE Evergreen Avenue and Ninth Street were closed off Highway 126 and urged alternate routes. Follow traffic updates at our TripCheck page.
Red Cross volunteers were assisting Deschutes County officials at a temporary evacuation point at the county fairgrounds. Those affected by the fire could go there for assistance.
Numerous other brush fires were breaking out around the region in Tuesday's third straight day of record heat.
West of Bend, crews stopped a vehicle fire Tuesday afternoon that had begun spreading into the brush and closed Century Drive for a time in front of the Widgi Creek Golf Course.
And at mid-afternoon, crews were responding to a new start, Incident 423, east of Meissner Sno-Park on the Deschutes National Forest. Lava Butte lookout estimated the fire initially at a half-acre. Three engine crews, a hand crew and a bulldozer headed in to tackle it. Officials said the fire was lined by early evening at 1.6 acres, with a hose lay around it and mop-up work was under way, with crews to continue work through the night.
West of Prineville, residents on Peacock Walk off the O'Neil Highway were orders to evacuate due to a wildfire, closing the highway at Elliott Lane and also bringing Level 2 notices for the upper part of Century Drive. All evacuations were lifted as of 7 p.m.
Bend Fire and Rescue said it also responded to several fires Tuesday amid extreme heat conditions, one started by a hot lawn mower on vegetation, another by a dragging chain from a two vehicle, and a third when a decorative landscaping light ignited bark mulch and a fence.
"Thanks to fast actions by standers, Bend Fire crews were able to extinguish all these fires before they grew larger," spokeswoman Trish Connolly said. "The heat will continue into the weekend, and so will our extreme fire conditions. We need everyone to be as diligent as possible, to reduce further fire starts."
Meanwhile, just outside of La Pine, firefighters stopped a fire at a half-acre near Finley Butte Road and Darlene Way; crews were continuing mop-up into the night.
La Pine Rural Fire District Chief Mike Supkis said the fast-moving, wind-driven fire broke out on BLM lands just east of La Pine's industrial area and Russell Road, threatening several structures and dispersed campsites.
The first crew on scene, assisted by two water tenders, made a quick attack, with 1,400 feet of progressive hose lays, holding the fire to half an acre, he said.
With La Pine fire crews helping on a Redmond fire task force, the Central Oregon Fire Service (Forest Service and Oregon Department of Forestry) sent several engines and a hand crew to help with mop-up. The cause of the fire is under investigation, Supkis said.
