The Mile Marker 132 fire has triggered a Level 3 "Go Now" evacuation order for people living in some areas north of Bend, Ore.
Courtesy of the Deschutes County Sheriff's Office
Evacuation orders remain for a small area north of Bend, Oregon, after a small brush fire ignited Friday afternoon.
The fire started near the Juniper Ridge area, known by many locally as “Dirt World,” due to the number of homeless encampments in the area. Weather conditions were hot and dry Friday, with temperatures reaching triple digits in Bend.
Airplanes could be seen dropping fire retardants on the flames Friday, attempting to stop the blaze before it reached a nearby mobile home park and other neighborhoods.
Central Oregon Fire Info, a regional hub of wildfire information, posted to X Friday that crews were able to stop forward progress on the fire and had begun the mop-up phase. That’s when crews ensure that a fire is extinguished and does not reignite.
Due to the quick response, the Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office has shrunk the evacuation zones. Level 3 evacuation notices remain in place for areas east of U.S. Highway 97 and north of Bend city limits to the Central Oregon Irrigation District power facility.
The sheriff’s office had established a shelter at Mountain View High School, but closed it Saturday due to a lack of use.