Deschutes National Forest names Kevin Stock new Bend-Fort Rock District ranger

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) – The Deschutes National Forest announced on Wednesday the selection of Kevin Stock as the permanent Bend-Fort Rock District ranger.

“I’m excited to welcome Kevin Stock into his new District Ranger role,” said Deschutes National Forest Supervisor Holly Jewkes. “The district will benefit from his extensive natural resource management experience.”

Stock is no stranger to Central Oregon; he’s spent 24 years working on the Bend-Fort Rock Ranger District throughout his career.

Stock was inspired to begin his career in wildland fire following the Awbrey Hall Fire in Bend, which burned 22 homes in 1990.

Stock worked as a seasonal firefighter on the Lolo National Forest in Montana, and later the Mt. Hood National Forest, before settling into Central Oregon in 1995, where he worked his way up the ranks from Handcrew Captain to the Fire and Aviation Staff Officer in 2021. Stock has also served as one of the Incident Commanders on Northwest Incident Management Team 8 since 2018.

“My familiarity with Central Oregon and the strong relationships I’ve built throughout my fire management career provide me a solid foundation as I step into this position,” said Stock. “I look forward to applying my leadership experience more broadly to natural resource management at the district level.”

Stock earned an Associates of Applied Science degree in Forest Resources from Mt. Hood Community College. He also received a Professional Certificate in Biological Science from University of Nevada at Las Vegas. In his spare time, he enjoys spending time with his wife and two children recreating on the public lands he protects and loves.