Bend Fire & Rescue responded to a house fire north of Bend at 65295 76th Street. According to the latest info: 911 callers reported a manufactured home fully engulfed in fire. Crews found a house and adjacent camp trailer on fire. Crews from Cloverdale and Alfalfa Fire Department’s provided water tenders to assist Bend crews extinguishing the fire. Crews kept the fire from spreading to other structures on the property. The house and trailer are a complete loss, and three cars were damaged as well. Losses estimated at $200,000 for all structures, vehicles, and contents.
The fire cause is still under investigation. The occupants in an adjacent trailer were home at the time of the fire and noticed the fire burning through their front window. After calling 911 they evacuated the area. The home was not occupied at the time of the fire.
One of the potential causes being investigated is hot the ash from the woodstove was disposed of. As we’re seeing nighttime temperatures get down to freezing as we head towards November, this is a good time to ensure you’re ready for wood burning this winter. Always have your chimney cleaned at least annually by a professional to prevent creosote buildup. Ensure you have a metal bucket with a tight-fitting lid to put ash into when you clean out the fireplace. Ash can stay warm for days after a fire and if disposed of improperly, can reignite. If the ash is in a metal can with a lid, that reignition is limited in where it can go. Place the metal can on a non-combustible surface and allow it to cool before disposing of. Never put hot ash in your trash can or in a combustible container. For more information about home heating safety, please visit: https://www.oregon.gov/osfm/
