BEND, OR -- A northwest Bend duplex was heavily damaged by fire, Thursday morning. Crews responded to the home on NW Awbrey just before 11 a.m. and found flames coming from the second story unit. They quickly knocked down the fire, sparing the first floor from major damage. A resident noticed the fire shortly after it started and immediately called 911. Investigators say the blaze started with ash from a pot pipe ignited combustible material in a trash can.
It’s one of several fires that have kept crews busy over the past couple of days. Bend Fire Battalion Chief Dave Howe tells KBND News, "In the last 24 hours, we have responded to five fires that have been caused by the improper disposal of cigarettes or burning material or smoking material. That indicates to us that the fuels out there are really, really dry." Investigators say a cigarette put in a can is to blame for a Wednesday evening fire that swept through a southeast Bend trailer park (pictured above). That blaze destroyed or damaged several buildings, vehicles and trailers on SE Miller.
"We urge people to be careful with smoking materials, and understand that a dropped cigarette, ashes from a pipe, ashes from a bar-b-q, improperly disposed of, can and will start a fire," says Chief Howe. "And, if it does, you essentially are responsible for the consequences of that fire." He says the fire danger will continue to increase as the weather warms, "People need to be aware that the conditions are ripe for burning; the fuels are very dry, the cheat grass – which is what is going to be carrying the fire in the very near future – is almost cured. Once it’s cured, in the next day or two, it will be capable of spreading fire rapidly; we have a really, really big crop of cheat grass, this year."
