Homeowner’s weed burner sparks SW Bend brush fire

City reminder: City ban on burning includes weed burners

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) -- Firefighters extinguished a small brush fire in the front yard of a southwest Bend home Thursday afternoon that officials said was caused by a resident's use of a weed burner -- not allowed within the city limits.

Bend Fire & Rescue crews responded just before 2 p.m. to the reported fire at a home in the 61000 block of Duncan Lane, caused by use of a weed burner, Battalion Chief Trish Connolly said.

The homeowners said they were using the weed burner when a hedge caught on fire. They used garden hoses to tackle the flames until firefighters arrived.

The fire caught several bushes and a juniper tree on fire, but crews were able to stop it before it reached any homes or other structures, Connolly said, adding that the homeowner was not cited.

"Bend Fire & Rescue have been getting many calls from the community in the past few weeks regarding the use of weed burners," Connolly said in a news release.

"We would like to remind the community that weed burners are not allowed in the city limits at any time. Currently, burning season is closed in our surrounding rural areas, (and) this also includes the use of weed burners.

"Even though we have gotten some moisture in our area in the past few weeks, the fuel moisture is still low," Connolly added.