Wildfire season predicted to be hot and dry as it begins in Deschutes County
Isabella Warren
REDMOND, Ore. (KTVZ)– Mop-up efforts continued Wednesday on the Euston Fire northwest of Redmond after a resident burning cheatgrass out of season sparked a 20-acre brushfire, another sign that fire season isn’t coming – it’s here.
It was an illegal burn, as Redmond Fire and Rescue banned debris burning just days ago, as did other Central Oregon communities.
“Someone was burning cheatgrass. So the message from us is to please don’t burn anything, because it’s just so hot and so dry right now,” said Kimberly Johnson, Public Information Officer for the Central Oregon Wildfire Agencies.
Tuesday afternoon, fire officials arrived at a small brushfire, which quickly grew, threatening a dozen homes and other structures. The resident responsible for the burn could receive a fine and be found liable for the firefighting costs.
The Euston Fire caused Level 2 ‘BE SET’ evacuations (later lowered to Level 1 ‘Be READY’ and a temporary evacuation point at a Redmond church. The Red Cross reported no residents used the center, but says it’s a sign of wildfire season.
“Redmond fire, other structure agencies, the BLM, Forest Service, units all got on scene. And it was just an aggressive attack trying to stop things, because there were structures threatened,” Johnson added.
Wildfire season officially started in Deschutes County on June 2nd, according to the Oregon Department of Forestry, and predictions show this season will not be any better than last.
ODF Public Affairs Officer Jessica Neujahr said, “We’re expecting above-average temperatures, below-average precipitation. So all that means is that it’s going to be hot, and it’s going to be dry.”
And with the Euston Fire and small brushfires starting across the region in recent days, it’s an early start for the year.
“Because we have had several districts go into fire season, we’re expecting more within the next week to go into fire season,” Neujahr said. “We’re really trying to urge people to check their local restrictions before they bring any fire hazards onto the landscape.”