Firefighters stop another new brush fire that threatened homes west of Prineville, closed state Highway 126

(Update: Sheriff's office says fire's forward progress stopped)

PRINEVILLE, Ore. (KTVZ) – While much attention was focused on a wildfire burning on the northern outskirts of Bend, another brush fire broke out Friday and put up black smoke, forcing evacuations and shutting state Highway 126 west of Prineville. Forward progress was stopped by about 7:30 p.m.

The Stillman Road Fire was reported 6 p.m. and closed the highway five miles west of Prineville, near milepost 13, also prompting Level 3 GO NOW evacuations and a Level 2 BE READY evacuation alert for a smaller area to the west. The latest Crook County evacuation map can be found here.

Sheriff's Lt. Mitch Madden said in a Facebook video post from near SW Steffey Lane, “We do have an active and fast-moving wildfire” and they were asking everybody to “avoid this area and if you are living in this area to leave immediately.”

An evacuation center was opened at Powell Butte Christian Church, according to a later update from Undersheriff Bill Elliott.

Madden followed up around 7:40 p.m. with a video report that forward progress of the fire had been stopped, but mop-up work continued from the air and ground.

ODOT had a detour in place between SW Parrish and Wiley roads - find updates at www.tripcheck.com.