Author: KTVZ

Claire Elmer

(Update: adding comments from OSFM, Crooked River Ranch Fire & Rescue, video)

CROOKED RIVER RANCH, Ore. (KTVZ) — As firefighters are sent across Oregon to battle wildfires, small departments must balance the broader call for help while ensuring they have enough personnel to respond to emergencies at home.

Crooked River Ranch Fire and Rescue shares personnel and equipment through Central Oregon’s mutual-aid system.

“We all share resources and help each other out because not one of us, a single agency, could handle the amount of fires we see in Central Oregon,” Fire Chief Sean Hartley said.

This year, the Oregon State Fire Marshal (OSFM) awarded nearly $6 million to 180 local fire agencies through its Wildfire Season Staffing Grant program. Each agency received up to $35,000 to help pay for additional staffing during wildfire season.

Priority was given to rural districts receiving less than $2 million in annual property-tax revenue.

“It really does help with wildfires and deployments to those wildfires,” OSFM Public Affairs Director Kassie Keller said. “But it also helps just during the regular course of the day. Whether it’s EMS or a car crash or things like that, the staff are on and they’re able to respond to all the calls.”

At Crooked River Ranch, the grant pays for one additional firefighter each day, providing greater flexibility both inside and outside the district. The award covers that firefighter’s wages for roughly three to three-and-a-half months.

Hartley said the additional staffing has already strengthened the department’s response to wildfires.

“Wildfire is a big issue in Central Oregon. It’s one of the things that can impact our communities the most,” Hartley said. “Through that Wildland Fire Season Staffing Grant, we were able to get multiple rigs to these calls very quickly and keep the fire small.”

Firefighter and EMT William Robles said residents also have an important role to play before a fire begins.

“Managing your property, making sure it is wildfire-safe, is always a good thing,” Robles said. “Just always be ready. Even if your house isn’t under evacuation, always have that plan, because it can happen quickly.”

Crooked River Ranch Fire and Rescue has received funding every year since the grant program began in 2022.

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Adrielle Hasara

Bend ORE. (KTVZ) — A suspect was injured and arrested Monday evening following a shooting involving officers on Highway 20 in Linn County. The incident occurred near milepost 36 and River Bend County Park after authorities received reports of a motor vehicle crash and a disturbance involving a gun.

Oregon State Police and the Linn County Sheriff’s Office responded to the scene at 7:25 p.m. Upon their arrival, officers encountered an individual armed with a handgun and shots were fired during a confrontation.

The suspect was injured in the shooting and is currently in police custody. No officers were injured during the confrontation and the Oregon State Police reported that there is no ongoing threat to the public.

The Albany Police Department has assumed the lead role in the investigation. Future updates regarding the case will be provided by the Albany Police Department or the Linn County District Attorney’s Office.

Highway 20 was expected to reopen at approximately 8 a.m. today after being closed throughout the night. Investigators remained at the scene near River Bend County Park to process evidence through the early morning hours.

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Adrielle Hasara

Bend ORE. (KTVZ) — Oregon ranked 51st in the nation for the year-over-year change in pay disparity, according to a study released today by SmartAsset. The report found that the pay gap between the state’s top earners and middle earners decreased 11 percentage points over the last year.

The study analyzed recently released data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics to determine where wage equality is increasing and decreasing across the United States. In Oregon, the threshold required to enter the top tier of earners is currently 127% of the state’s median income.

The minimum annual salary required to enter the top 10% of earners in Oregon is $129,520. This figure is more than double the statewide median wage, which researchers identified as $57,000.

On a national level, Calif. and New York recorded the greatest amount of wage inequality. North Dakota was found to have the least wage inequality in the country.

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Kelsey Merison

CENTRAL OREGON (KTVZ) — Tuesday, August 4th marks ‘National Night Out’–and the annual community-building campaign will be featured in multiple Central Oregon communities.

National Night Out promotes police-community partnerships and neighborhood camaraderie, and our Central Oregon agencies would love for you to join in on the fun!

You can join Bend Police at Mountain View High School from 4 to 8 p.m.

Redmond Police will be at Centennial Park from 6 to 8 p.m.

In Sisters, head to Village Green Park to meet up with the Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office from 6 to 8 p.m.

Finally, visit the La Pine Activity Center from 6 to 8 p.m., where a live K9 demonstration will take place!

Expect lots of fun, food, and more.

In Jefferson County, the fun kicks off this Saturday (August 8th) at Sahalee Park in Madras! Join the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office and the Madras Police Department from 3 to 7 p.m.

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Kelsey Merison

PRINEVILLE, Ore. (KTVZ) — Happening now, Highway 26 is closed east of Prineville to wildfire operations.

Only emergency personnel are allowed through the closure.

You’re asked to plan alternate routes, avoid the area, and do not attempt to bypass road closures.

Remember to always check tripcheck.com before hitting the road, especially during wildfire season.

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Kelsey Merison

MADRAS, Ore. (KTVZ) — Heads up Madras residents, happening tomorrow (Tuesday, August 4th), city crews are trimming trees along B Street.

The city says eastbound B Street and the center turn lane between Seventh Street and Ninth Street will be closed from 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

You’re asked to please follow the posted detour route and allow extra travel time if traveling through the area.

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Campbell Porter

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — Nearly 65,000 people have been evacuated from their homes in Washington state as wildfires cause widespread destruction. The American Red Cross is currently coordinating relief efforts and requesting local support to assist those displaced by the fires.

The organization is accepting monetary donations and blood to support ongoing disaster relief operations. Community members can also volunteer for training to serve as responders for future emergency situations.

Morgan Schmidt, executive director of the Red Cross for Central and Eastern Oregon, said that local resources are being used to support the crisis in Washington state. Schmidt noted that the region is reciprocating the help it received from other areas during previous fire seasons.

“We are sending people just like we’ve had people from across the country come to help us this wildfire season,” Schmidt said. “Same thing will be happening up in Washington state. And the more folks we can have locally as those responders, the better.”

To prepare for potential evacuations locally, the organization recommends that residents assemble a go-bag. This kit should contain enough supplies for each person to spend at least 72 hours away from their home.

Residents are also encouraged to organize and identify the location of valuable documents so they can be retrieved quickly. Safety officials suggest signing up for emergency alerts from the local sheriff and downloading the Red Cross emergency app for real-time notifications.

The Red Cross also provides evacuation preparedness courses for the community. These programs are free of charge and businesses can contact the organization to arrange specific training for their staff members.

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Claire Elmer

(Update: adding comments from fire official, updates, and video)

MADRAS, Ore. (KTVZ) — The Round Butte Fire is one of the newest of several significant wildfires burning across Central Oregon, but the threat isn’t always obvious from the sky.

Even with relatively clear conditions in town, firefighters say the same winds helping push smoke away can also drive flames quickly across dry fuels.

The Round Butte Fire started Saturday afternoon in Culver, located in Jefferson County, during a particularly dangerous weather period marked by gusty winds, low humidity, and critically dry vegetation after a winter with limited precipitation.

According to Central Oregon Fire Information, the fire began on the south side of Round Butte and was burning in grass, brush, and juniper about five miles west of Madras, with firefighters supported by engines, hotshot crews, dozers, and aerial resources.

Jaimie Olle, public information officer with Central Oregon Fire Information, said crews were able to limit the fire’s spread early thanks to quick response and air support.

“We were under a particularly dangerous weather event with high gusty winds and dry fuels, but thankfully firefighters were able to arrive quickly on scene and get some additional aviation resources that really helped to stop some of the fire spread,” Olle told KTVZ News.

The Round Butte Fire quickly grew to 1,039 acres by late Saturday night into early Sunday morning. The Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office issued Level 1, 2, and 3 evacuation notices for the area.

Firefighters have built a control line and are now strengthening it, while helicopters continue cooling hot spots. Central Oregon Fire Information said aerial resources, including air attack, tankers, and helicopters, helped slow the fire’s spread on Saturday.

As of Sunday at 6:00p.m., they’ve reached 7% containment with crews focusing on strengthening control lines and knocking down hot spots.

Currently, Round Butte is the smallest of several major wildfires burning across Central Oregon. The Bench Fire has burned more than 67,000 acres near Warm Springs, the Akawa Butte Fire has burned more than 27,000 acres near Sisters, and the Rowe Creek Complex has burned more than 300,000 acres.

Across Oregon, more than 1.7 million acres have already burned this year, putting the state within reach of the record set in 2024.

Jaimie Olle said the winter’s lack of moisture has left fuels primed for faster fire growth as long as hot, windy weather continues.

“We didn’t have a very extensive winter, so things are really dry out there. Any kind of heat or wind that we do see on top of that, it really does escalate fire behavior and activity. We’ll continue to see those elevated fire behaviors probably moving through August and September,” Olle said.

Officials are urging residents to stay alert as fire season shows no sign of slowing. Firefighters say they are working to hold the ground they have gained while remaining ready for any new starts.

Central Oregon Fire Information also reminded the public not to fly personal drones near the fire because they can interfere with firefighting aircraft.

Earlier Story — BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — The Round Butte Fire has burned 1,039 acres near Madras and remains at 0% containment as of Sunday. The Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office has issued Level 1, 2 and 3 evacuations for the area.

According to Central Oregon Fire, the fire ignited Saturday afternoon on the south side of Round Butte and spread east through grass, brush and juniper. Despite breezy and dry conditions associated with a Particularly Dangerous Weather situation, firefighters and aerial resources successfully slowed the fire’s progress by Saturday evening.

The fire is burning on a combination of the Crooked River National Grassland and private land. The Central Oregon Type 3 team is managing the response in coordination with Jefferson County Fire and EMS and the Oregon State Fire Marshal. Mapping from an overnight infrared flight confirmed the fire has reached 1,039 acres.

Firefighters worked through the night to build initial control lines around the perimeter of the fire. On Sunday, resources are focused on strengthening those lines and cooling down hot spots to secure the fire within its current footprint. Helicopters are supporting ground crews by providing bucket drops of water on pockets of heat.

Authorities issued a warning to the public regarding the use of personal drones near the fire. Flying drones poses a safety risk to responding aircraft and firefighters and impacts the ability of teams to effectively respond to the incident.

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Spencer Sacks

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — The Federal Emergency Management Agency authorized federal funds yesterday to assist with firefighting costs for the Rowe Creek Complex – West Zone Fire in Crook and Jefferson counties. The decision allows the federal government to pay 75% of eligible expenses for the blaze, which is currently threatening local homes and infrastructure.

Vincent J. Maykovich, the FEMA Region 10 acting regional administrator, determined the wildfire threatened to cause enough destruction to constitute a major disaster. The grant was approved Friday at 5:49 p.m. PT, marking the fifth time in 2026 that Oregon has received such a federal declaration. The funding follows an initial denial earlier in the week that prompted state and federal representatives to search for answers.

At the time of the request, the wildfire threatened homes in and around the communities of Prineville and Grizzly. The flames also posed a risk to the State Highway 26 corridor, electrical infrastructure, recreational facilities and private communication infrastructure. Natural resources within the two counties were also identified as being under threat.

State firefighting costs can increase rapidly during major incidents. At the height of the Akawa Butte fire, expenses reached over $1 million per day. While FEMA approved a grant for that fire, the agency initially denied the request for the Creek Complex. This inconsistency led local representatives to seek answers regarding the federal response.

Rep. Emerson Levy, a Democrat, expressed relief following the reversal of the initial denial. Levy had been among the officials advocating for federal support for the affected region.

“I’m so glad to see this funding approved,” Levy said. “Creek deserved this support from the start and I’m glad FEMA came to the right decision. I’ll keep advocating for all of Oregon, because every community affected by these fires deserves the same help and the same urgency.”

U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden noted that he and Sen. Jeff Merkley pressured the agency to unlock the resources for Crook and Jefferson counties. Wyden described the initial denial as an inexplicable decision.

“I’m gratified the spotlight Sen. Merkley and I put on this indefensible and inexplicable decision by FEMA under Donald Trump has unlocked resources that Crook and Jefferson counties should have had from the get-go for the Creek fire,” Wyden said. “But Wasco and Wheeler counties deserve the same federal aid and I will never stop advocating for Oregon to get its fair share of help from the federal government to battle wildfires or for any other challenge facing our state.”

According to FEMA, a fire must threaten lives, property, critical infrastructure or watersheds to receive grant status. Other factors include the availability of local firefighting resources and the potential for major economic impact. Eligible expenses for reimbursement include field camps, equipment use, materials, supplies and mobilization activities.

FEMA officials noted that these grants do not provide assistance to individual home or business owners. The funding also does not cover non-firefighting infrastructure damage caused by the flames. Local officials reached out to the agency to understand why the status was changed from the denial issued earlier in the week.

Inquiries were also sent to Republicans Rep. Vikki Breese-Iverson and Rep. Cliff Bentz regarding the funding approval. Both representatives have not yet responded to requests for comment.

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Spencer Sacks

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — The Federal Emergency Management Agency approved Fire Management Assistance Grant status for the Akawa Butte fire while denying the same federal assistance for the Rowe Creek Complex and East Evans Creek fires. This determination comes as more than 1 million acres have burned across Oregon during the current fire season.

The Fire Management Assistance Grant, known as FMAG, provides significant financial relief by covering 75% of the costs associated with a wildfire. The state remains responsible for the remaining 25% of the expenses. This federal support is considered vital for maintaining fiscal balance, as costs for the Akawa Butte fire alone have risen to more than $1 million per day.

KTVZ’s Spencer Sacks spoke with State Rep. Emerson Levy. Sacks will have a full report tonight on KTVZ News at 10 on Fox and 11 on NBC

To be eligible for Fire Management Assistance Grant status, a fire or fire complex must meet specific federal criteria. These include threats to lives and improved property, such as critical infrastructure and watersheds. FEMA also evaluates the availability of state and local firefighting resources, high fire danger and the potential for major economic impact.

State officials have prepared for wildfire expenses by setting aside $86 million in dedicated funds. Oregon also maintains additional revenue streams to address firefighting costs. However, the lack of federal assistance for certain large fires has drawn criticism from local lawmakers.

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