Bend, ORE. (KTVZ) — The Deschutes National Forest lifted the temporary emergency closure for the Akawa Butte Fire area today, reopening the land to the public while urging visitors to exercise caution. Forest Service officials warned that burned landscapes contain safety hazards that did not exist prior to the fire or were worsened by its
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CENTRAL OREGON (KTVZ) — Firefighters at the Rowe Creek Complex got a special visit this week from some four-legged friends. Volunteers with Go Team Therapy Dogs brought four dogs to fire camp over several days. Aspen, Zelda, Chloe, and Rocky, along with their handlers, helped bring some smiles and a little joy to crews working long shifts away
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LINCOLN COUNTY, Ore. (KTVZ) — Oregon State Police are investigating extensive vandalism at multiple state parks in Lincoln County. The damage happened sometime between 10 p.m. Friday and 7 a.m. Saturday. Police say several restrooms were targeted, with paper towel dispensers removed and other fixtures destroyed or taken. Fires were also intentionally started at several
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CROOKED RIVER RANCH, Ore. (KTVZ) — Next, a black bear was spotted in Crooked River Ranch on Tuesday. The sighting was reported around 7:30 a.m. on SW Mare Place. Oregon State Police and the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife have both been notified. Officials are reminding people not to approach or bother the bear.
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BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — The Bend Police Department has a reminder for motorists: School starts September 9th, which means more kids will be walking and riding bikes on our roads. You’ll also see more school buses and vehicles dropping off and picking up students. That means school zones will be active. Officers are asking drivers
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JEFFERSON COUNTY, Ore. (KTVZ) — Right now, most evacuation levels in Jefferson County have been lifted following the Rowe Creek Complex. The only area still under an evacuation level is SE 19th and the southern half of NE 18th. Those areas remain at Level One — Be Ready. All other evacuation levels and zones have been lifted.
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BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — A 15-year-old Bend boy was arrested Tuesday morning after police say he pointed what appeared to be a handgun at three teens during a dispute at a Bend apartment complex. Bend Police responded to the Westside Village Apartments in the 1400 block of NW Albany Avenue around 1:39 a.m. Aug. 25
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DOUGLAS COUNTY, Ore. (KTVZ) — A 13-year-old boy was killed and six other people were injured Friday afternoon in a head-on collision on Highway 38 in Douglas County, according to the Oregon State Police. The crash occurred at approximately 1:38 p.m. near milepost 27. A preliminary investigation indicated that an eastbound yellow 2021 Ram 2500
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BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — As electric bikes and scooters become more common on Oregon streets, health officials are reporting a sharp rise in injuries, with doctors across the country warning that more children are ending up in emergency rooms after crashes. According to the Oregon Health Authority, injuries involving e-bikes and e-scooters more than doubled
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CROOKED RIVER RANCH, Ore. (KTVZ) A Central Oregon community is stepping up to help people impacted by the Spokane fires. Residents of Crooked River Ranch donated needed items through a partnership between Crooked River Ranch Fire & Rescue, Over The Edge Taphouse, and the Crooked River Ranch Homeowners Association. The donations were delivered this past
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CENTRAL OREGON (KTVZ) — The Rowe Creek Complex Fire, burning in Crook, Jefferson, Wasco, and Wheeler counties, has burned nearly 374,000 acres and is now 91% contained. Fire activity was minimal overnight, with crews using thermal cameras and drones to find hot spots in the Mill Creek and Duncan Creek areas. Today, crews continued suppressing
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The U.S. Forest Service has posted nearly 2,000 full-time and seasonal jobs for the upcoming fire season across the Pacific Northwest and Alaska. The job listings were published on USAJOBS. The recruitment drive features entry-level positions with provided training, alongside specialized roles such as air crew, dispatchers and smoke jumpers. Shalyn Whitson, who works in
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BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — The Crook County Sheriff’s Office has recovered nearly $20,000 worth of stolen goods following an operation that extended to Portland. On July 20th a Brasada Ranch employee reported a large number of golf clubs, bags and other equipment missing While investigating, Sheriff’s officers saw a Facebook Marketplace listing for similar clubs.
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BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — The Humane Society of Central Oregon is back for our weekly “Pet Pals” segment. Lynne brought in a 2-month-old kitten, who she let KTVZ’s Kelsey Merison name live on-air! “She was being given away at a gas station up in Madras,” Lynne said. Kelsey originally named her Hot Dog because of the gas
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MADRAS, Ore. (KTVZ) — Jefferson County has a new date for its annual National Night Out celebration. After making the difficult decision to postpone the celebration, which was originally scheduled for August 8th, the free family event is now happening Friday, September 4th, from 4-7 p.m. at Sahalee Park. Organizers say the event will feature
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BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — Good News from Think Wild Central Oregon! A juvenile Cooper’s hawk is back in the wild after nearly four weeks of rehabilitation. The hawk was rescued in west Bend in late July after striking a window. After recovering from its injuries, the bird successfully passed flight and live-prey testing and was
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BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — A preliminary report is shedding new light on a deadly plane crash west of Bend earlier this month. The NTSB says a Cirrus SR-22-T crashed about 12 miles west of the Bend Municipal Airport on August 4th, killing the pilot. According to preliminary data, the plane spent several hours flying in
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CROOK COUNTY, Ore. (KTVZ) — On Saturday, much of our region will be under a red flag warning, as firefighters continue to button up the active wildfires. The Rowe Creek Complex Fire, burning in Crook, Wheeler, Wasco, and Jefferson counties, sits at just under 374,000 acres burned with 89% containment. Today, firefighters will continue much of the work
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TUMALO, Ore. (KTVZ) — For some Central Oregon families, healing can come from an unexpected place–the back of a horse. At Healing Reins in Tumalo, equine-assisted therapy and outdoor-based services are helping people facing physical, mental and emotional challenges. The nonprofit has served Central Oregon since 1999, but leaders say the organization has experienced significant
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BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — Deschutes County has opened its first managed homeless camp in Redmond. The new site will serve around 36 people. Located next to Oasis Village, another transitional housing program, the site offers an alternative approach to assist individuals who are unable to access traditional shelters or other resources. The camp is managed
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