On July 6, a fire started around McCaffery and Sherman Road, east of the Redmond Airport and south of Highway 126. Firefighters worked to increased containment but faced significant challenges with hot and dry conditions. On Monday at 9am, the fire was 458 acres and 25% contained.
The McCaffery Fire was first reported at about 2pm on Saturday. Due to weather conditions, the fire grew quickly to the south and southeast, according to a press release. Several air tankers and helicopters were able to slow the spread of the fire soon after it started, allowing crews to begin containing it.
As the fire continued to spread on Saturday, the Redmond Airport announced it was closing as of 6pm, due to wildfire fighting efforts. The airport reopened about 24 hours later.
Residences on Sunny Sage Rd, off McCaffery Rd, remained in Level 3 “Go Now” evacuation orders through Sunday. As of Monday, Sunny Sage Road, the area west of Powell Butte Estates and the area south of Powell Butte Highway were under Level 2 “Be Set” evacuation orders. An evacuation shelter opened at Powell Butte Christian Church on Saturday night.
On Sunday, the Bureau of Land management put a temporary closure in place in the Prineville District for the safety of the public and to allow firefighters to contain the fire. On Monday, Redmond Fire and Rescue announced a ban on recreational fires through Tuesday night, in response to a Red Flag Warning for dry and unstable conditions from The National Weather Service.
The cause of the fire is under investigation. DSCO encourages people to check the website, deschutes.org/emergency for the most up-to-date information on the fire.
This article appears in Source Weekly July 4, 2024.
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