Redmond police seek motorist who fired illegal firework mortar, sparking one-acre grass fire in area of BPA power lines
(Update: Adding Madras brush fire)
Third fire of afternoon; homeowner cited for reckless burning; BBQ without ash tray sparks 2nd blaze
REDMOND, Ore. (KTVZ) – Redmond firefighters’ busy Fourth of July continued early Thursday evening, when a Ring doorbell camera caught a motorist pulling over and firing an illegal firework mortar, sparking a one-acre grass fire below a Bonneville Power Administration transmission line and a police hunt for the culprit.
The first of two earlier blazes, a grass fire in Terrebonne, led to a reckless burning citation of a resident who had been burning weeds, over a month after burn season ended. A second blaze broke out a short time later in the backyard of a southwest Redmond duplex and was traced to a barbecue lacking an ash-catching tray beneath it, igniting dry grass.
The third fire was reported shortly after 5 p.m. near Southwest Obsidian Avenue and 39th Street.
“An individual pulled up and lift off an illegal firework, a mortar, caught the grass on fire, then took off,” Redmond Fire Marshal Tom Mooney said.
The resulting fire damaged some poles stored on the ground. Mooney said it burned about an acre near a construction area for single-family homes. He said the culprit could face an arson charge, depending on what police investigators determine.
The first blaze was called in as a possible structure fire shortly after 2 p.m. in the 5000 block of Northwest 10th Street in Terrebonne and put up a tall, black smoke plume, possibly due to a large Ponderosa pine tree that was ablaze, Mooney said.
Crews arrived to find a fire in brush and grass that burned the corner of a home’s deck but was kept from causing more damage or reaching two propane tanks. However, the one-acre fire did spread to a neighboring property and burned a travel trailer, Mooney said.
The fire was caused by someone burning weeds (cheatgrass_ who was cited for reckless burning, a Class A misdemeanor that will require a court appearance and has a maximum penalty on conviction of a year in jail and a $6,250 fine, authorities said.
Deschutes County sheriff’s deputies also were dispatched to the blaze and contacted nearby neighbors, advising of possible evacuations, Lieutenant Jayson Janes said.
Janes said Redmond Fire told deputies they had contacted the 57-year-old Terrebonne resident earlier in the day due to the weed-burning. The man stopped the burning, Janes said, but the grass later re-ignited, causing the fire that spread to a neighboring field.
That fire was declared under control shortly after 3 p.m. Another fire was reported 20 minutes later in the backyard of a Redmond duplex near the intersection of Southwest Umatilla Avenue and 25th Street. Police responded quickly and used garden hoses to knock it down, Mooney said.
In that case, the cause was traced to a backyard charcoal barbecue that did not have a tray in place to catch the ash, which fell onto dead grass that ignited, the fire official said.
Mooney and Janes both noted that outdoor burning was closed June 1st.
"Debris burning is described as burning with burn barrels, weed burners, field, ditch, and open pile burning," Janes said. "It is always recommended to consult with the fire station in your jurisdiction when considering burning.
“It’s super-hot and dry,” he said. “We’re not playing around – it’s hot, it’s dry, and if you set a fire intentionally, there ‘s likely to be a citation.”
“The cheatgrass is knee-high and dry, primed and ready to go,” Mooney said. “It just needs a little spark to get it going.”
Thursday night, a brush fire broke out on the north side of Madras and was moving south, uphill toward Jefferson Street, threatening multiple structures. Jefferson County Sheriff Jason Pollock confirmed.
Mutual-aid support was requested and firefighters are beginning structure protection, he said, and the evacuation of two homes atop the hill was requested. Forward progression of the fire was stopped around 9 p.m. and some resources were being released from the incident, the sheriff said.
