Month: May 2025

Jillian Fortner

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) – Oregon experienced its most severe wildfire season on record in 2024, with an estimated 1.9 million acres of forest and grassland burned.

“The 2024 fire season definitely was exceptional,” said Ben Walen, a forest resource officer with the Oregon Department of Forestry.

With summer quickly approaching, the threat of wildfire is once again top of mind, and it’s changing the way we build and protect our communities.

More and more neighborhoods in Central Oregon are joining Firewise USA, a nationwide network of neighborhoods actively working together to decrease the risk of wildfires.

Oregon ranks second in the nation for the number of Firewise communities, just behind California.

32 communities were added across the state last year, bringing the total to nearly 300.

“There’s 70-plus Firewise communities in Deschutes County alone,” Walen said.

The program is grounded in science, showing fire doesn’t consume everything in its path. By adjusting vegetation and fuels around the home, homeowners can significantly reduce the chances of a fire igniting nearby.

One of the core components is defensible space around the home.

Bend Fire & Rescue Fire Inspector Melissa Steele said, “What we’re talking about is that critical, immediate zone. That first five feet around your home. When there are embers flying everywhere, when there’s a wildfire in the area, what is it landing in?”

Defensible space can look like spaced-out trees and shrubs, removing mulch and using fire-resistant plants. Anyone can practice defensible space, but in Firewise communities, you’ll see many houses adopting a set of standards.

Kirk Schueler is the president and CEO of Brooks Resources, a real estate developer in Central Oregon. The company has helped develop neighborhoods that participate in the Firewise USA program, including Discovery West in Bend.

“Most of the neighborhoods on the west side, in fact most of Bend, is considered to be in the wildland urban interface where there is some higher risk of fire damage,” Schueler said.

Firewise isn’t just for neighborhoods. Central Oregon Community College will become the second school in the United States to join the program.

Paula Simone, associate professor of fire science at COCC, said, “I think we’re the first one in Oregon, so hopefully that will be an example for others to follow, which would be great.”

The college recently hosted a wildfire preparedness fair, sharing information about Firewise and defensible space with the community.

While wildfires can’t be prevented, many people feel more confident knowing they’re taking steps to protect what matters most.

“We live in Central Oregon,” Steele said. “It is a high-hazard area. We can’t change that. What we can change is the risk to yourself and to your home.”

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Barney Lerten

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — Doorbell cameras can catch wonderful scenes of nature and life – but sometimes, they can also record a very frustrating, even dangerous encounter.

That’s what was captured and shared with KTVZ News this week by a southwest Bend resident, Jonathan Elwing.

“We just caught our neighbor’s two large loose dogs running onto our property and chasing a herd of six deer off (babies included), ran the deer into the street and blocks away,” he told us.

Elwing called it “a perfect example of why dogs should not be unleashed where not allowed (especially when they chase wildlife, which is not only against Oregon law, but is a grave threat to the poor wildlife who have enough to contend with as they struggle to survive in the ever-encroaching urban environment).”

He told us he called police about what happened, and he thought it was an especially timely message to share, considering the current joint effort by the Bend Park and Recreation District and Bend Police to remind pet owners about leash requirements and the safety benefits of keeping dogs on leash.

BPRD’s park stewards have been partnering with Bend PD community service officers this week, visiting several parks and trails to talk with dog handlers about expectations and park rules.

KTVZ News contacted Bend Police Communications Manager Sheila Miller, who pointed out that the consequences can indeed be costly – and not just for the wildlife, other dogs or people off-leash dogs can encounter, harass … or sometimes far worse.

The yearly Bend Parks/Police engagement campaign aims to inform community members about the possible enforcement actions for letting dogs run off-leash. It can include a 30-day exclusion from park district property and/or a $250 fine and being held responsible for a dog’s actions in civil or criminal cases.

“Dogs are required to be controlled on a tethered leash inside the City of Bend, unless they’re in a designated off-leash dog area or on private property (for example, your yard, or the yard of a friend who has given you permission to have your dog off-leash there),” Miller told us.

“If you are the owner of a nuisance animal (one which, according to Bend city code, injures or kills an animal belonging to a person other than the owner or keeper of the animal, bites a person, chases people or vehicles, that sort of thing), you could be cited for a Class A violation.”

“Our community service officers typically will try to educate community members first – and then, if your dog continues to be a problem, you could be cited.”

“As you can imagine, our officers and CSOs must prioritize emergencies and threats to life and property before nuisance dogs, but if a dog injures someone or an animal, that would be a more emergent call for us to respond to.”

“The leash law applies to everyone – even you!” Miller said. “You may think your dog is nice, and that you have control of your dog. But it’s not always about your dog – it’s about other people and other dogs around you. So putting your dog on a leash and having control of your dogs is important, for everyone’s safety.”

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Barney Lerten

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — The sixth-graders in the science class of Trinity Lutheran Middle School teacher Alisa Jeffries enjoyed a different sort of test this week, which could be described as: Just add water.

It was the second annual Cardboard Boat Regatta, held Tuesday at Juniper Swim & Fitness Center’s pool.

The students had built boats using only cardboard and duct tape during their STEM unit on buoyancy.

In partner pairs, the students spent six class periods designing, drawing and building the boats they thought would be most successful in a cross-pool race.

“Mrs. Jeffries was impressed by the success of their boats and how well they worked together in the design process,” we’re told.

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Barney Lerten

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — According to Deschutes National Forest officials, the planned continuation of prescribed burns Friday northeast of La Pine has been canceled due to unfavorable conditions.

Firefighters will plan a future date to continue the prescribed burns.

Currently, the burn north of Sisters is still scheduled.

Earlier information:

The Deschutes National Forest plans to conduct two more prescribed burn operations on Friday, totaling over 300 acres on the Bend-Fort Rock and Sisters ranger districts, if conditions remain favorable. 

Bend-Fort Rock Ranger District firefighters plan to conduct up to 236 acres of ignitions on the Thor Units 11 and 12 Prescribed Burn, located about four miles northeast of La Pine, directly along the north and south sides of Paulina Lake Road, one mile west of Ogden Group Camp.  

Ignitions are slated to begin around 10 a.m. A pilot car and flaggers will be in place along Paulina Lake Road during ignitions. No road or trail closures are anticipated.

Smoke will be visible from La Pine, Sunriver, Highway 97, and the surrounding area. Residents in La Pine and Newberry Estates are encouraged to keep doors and windows closed to minimize smoke impacts. Smoke impacts are most likely overnight and in the early morning hours. Smoke impacts are also possible across Highway 97 during ignitions and overnight and in the early morning hours. 

Meanwhile, Sisters Ranger District firefighters plan to conduct up to 79 acres of ignitions on the Highway 20 Unit 63 Prescribed Burn, located roughly half a mile east of Highway 20, south of Indian Ford Creek near the Sisters Tie Trail.

Ignitions are slated to begin around 10 a.m. Smoke will be visible from Sisters, Highway 20 and the surrounding area. Residents in Sisters, along Indian Ford Creek, and the surrounding area are encouraged to keep doors and windows closed to minimize smoke impacts.

Smoke impacts are most likely overnight and in the early morning hours. Smoke impacts are also possible across Highway 20 and Indian Ford Road during ignitions and overnight and in the early morning hours. 

No trail or road closures are anticipated. A small section of the Sisters Tie Trail runs through the burn unit, signage will be posted clearly marking an alternative route. The public is encouraged to avoid the Sisters Tie Trail while prescribed burning operations are occurring.  

Firefighters implement understory prescribed burning to reduce wildfire risk to communities. Prescribed burning reintroduces and maintains fire within our fire-dependent ecosystem by removing concentrations of vegetation and restoring forest health while increasing public and firefighter safety. 

Fire management officials work with Oregon Department of Forestry smoke specialists to plan prescribed burns. Prescribed burns are conducted when weather is most likely to move smoke up and away from our communities. While prescribed fire managers take significant preventive measures, it’s likely that communities may experience some smoke during or immediately after a prescribed burn.  

What does this mean for you? 

During prescribed burns, smoke may settle in low-lying areas overnight and in the early morning hours.  

All residents are encouraged to close doors and windows at night to avoid smoke impacts. 

If available, use a portable air cleaner. Air cleaners work best running with doors and windows closed. You can also create a DIY air cleaner. 

If you have a central air system, use it to filter air. Use high-efficiency filters if possible. 

When driving in smoky areas, drivers should slow down, turn on headlights and turn air to recirculating. 

If you have heart or lung disease, asthma, or other chronic conditions, pay attention to how you feel and if symptoms of heart or lung disease worsen, consider contacting your health care professional. 

Go to centraloregonfire.org to learn more about smoke safety and prescribed burning in Central Oregon and visit When Smoke is in the Air for more smoke preparedness resources. 

For more information on prescribed burning in Central Oregon, visit centraloregonfire.org/ and for information specific to the Deschutes National Forest visit fs.usda.gov/r06/deschutes. Follow us on X/Twitter @CentralORFire. Text “COFIRE” to 888-777 to receive wildfire and prescribed fire text alerts. 

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