Crook County community dedication helping to support unwavering firefighting efforts in Highland Fire
Claire Elmer
PRINEVILLE, Ore. (KTVZ) — Containment is growing on the Highland Fire near Prineville, and so is the gratitude — from firefighters working long hours on the front lines to residents who prepared their homes long before the flames arrived.
When the Highland Fire sparked near Prineville, local crews jumped into action. They were followed by multiple agencies from across Oregon who joined into help in the fight.
Public Information Officer Sandy Roberts with OSFM Blue Team says that urgency is part of what kept the fire from becoming more destructive — and now, crews continue to build on that momentum.
“The initial response on this fire was quick. It was because of that initial attack that we were able to come in and just keep building on the amazing work that your local resources did, for your community.” said Roberts.
Crews from various regions and their assistance has been greatly appreciated by the Crook County community and team. “Working with the local responders has been a dream,” said Roberts. That coordination and unified effort has helped keep the fire away from homes — many of which were already wildfire-ready.
KTVZ News joined crews beyond the fire lines to learn more about the work they are continuing to do to make sure people’s homes remain untouched. Cord von Derahe, division supervisor trainee with OSFM, has been grateful for the work homeowners put into limiting their fire risk. “A lot of these homes have done really, really good work. They have good siding. They have good roofing material. They’ve kept a lot of their combustibles away from the houses. These are all good things,” said von Derahe.
Still, the danger hasn’t fully passed. Crews are checking homes daily, monitoring for heat under trees and along property lines. “We’ll come back around, check the house and see if anything else has gone, burned or anything has gotten closer. And we’re just continuing to be diligent and monitoring that,” said von Derahe.
Even homes that never saw flames aren’t in the clear quite yet — there’s still unburnt fuel that could reignite under the right conditions. Line safety trainee with OSFM, Clifton Heim, explained “there’s lots of unburnt fuel that’s still there. So we are trying to take away those other potentials that could create this all over again.”
Firefighters say the support from the community — and the preparation they’ve done in advance — has made this response safer and more effective for everyone. Crews say conditions are improving, but it’s not over yet. They’re encouraging everyone to continue clearing defensible space — and thanking the community for stepping up.
KTVZ News thanks the crews for their dedication and tireless work that keeps us safe.