Prineville Dispatch received multiple calls Friday of a gold-colored Volvo driving at a high rate of speed eastbound on Highway 126 near the Crook/Deschutes County line. The vehicle was first reported on Hwy 126 near milepost 3.5, callers reported to dispatch that the car was dragging a tire and throwing sparks, eventually one caller reported that the vehicle had caused a fire near Hwy 126 and Stillman Road.
Crook County Deputies arrived minutes after the fire started and saw that multiple houses and structures were threatened by the rapidly expanding fire. Crook County Sheriff’s Office, with the assistance of Oregon State Police immediately began evacuating threatened residences. The evacuations continued as all residents on the east side of Stillman Road and all of Steffey Lane were determined to be in danger and listed level 3. The residents remained at level 3 for approximately five hours until the evacuation level was returned to level 2, and they were allowed back to their residences.
Units from Crook County Fire and Rescue, Alfalfa Fire, Cloverdale Fire, Oregon Department of Forestry, Bureau of Land Management, Forest Service and Oregon State Fire Marshalls Structure Task Force arrived and scene and began fighting the fire, which was contained to approximately ten acres. Despite thick trees, tall grass and closely spaced structures no “stick built” homes were lost. Several outbuildings and recreational vehicles were damaged or destroyed because of the fire. No injuries were reported from the fire.
Due to the proximity of 126 to the fire and the congestion for firefighting apparatus a three-mile section of Hwy 126 was closed, and traffic was re-routed through secondary roads. A small section of SW Stillman Road was closed throughout the night and into early afternoon on August 3rd.
A temporary evacuation shelter was established at the Powell Butte Church with the Red Cross providing assistance to the displaced residents.
The suspect vehicle was stopped by Crook County Sheriff’s Deputies and Prineville Police Officers when it neared the city of Prineville. The driver was arrested and transported to the Crook County Jail where she is being held on 6 counts of Reckless Endangering, 2 counts of Reckless Burning and Reckless Driving. Additional charges are pending, and the investigation is ongoing.
The Crook County Sheriff’s Office would like to thank Abby’s Pizza and Starbucks for providing food and drink to the firefighters and law enforcement on scene.
