Hundreds Forced From Their Homes, Thousands on Alert, as Bend Wildfire Grows

The fire is now 6,400 acres and remains uncontained with no estimate of containment at this time.

Firefighters again today will be tackling hot temperatures and strong winds as they battle and try and get the upper hand on the Two Bulls fire west of Bend. Photo: Special to Salem-News.com

(BEND, Ore. ) - Firefighters again today will be tackling hot temperatures and strong winds as they battle and try and get the upper hand on the Two Bulls fire west of Bend.

Fire crews focused heavily on the eastern and southern portions of the fire. A Oregon Department of Forestry spokesman says good progress was made and night shift crews will continue to secure that area Sunday night. Aerial water and retardant drops on Sunday helped fire crews dig preliminary containment lines.

As additional resources arrive, there will be more of a focus made on the western flank on Monday. The majority of the activity Sunday was located in the northwest corner of the fire and burning in predominately brush and timber.

Coupled with record breaking dry fuel moistures, concerns for tomorrow and winds forecasted to be gusty from the north at 15-19 mph.

No structures or injuries have been reported to date.

Structure protection task forces deployed under the Conflagration Act have been working predominately on the east and southern portions of the fire and will continue to focus in those areas tomorrow with concern of the wind forecast.

The Deschutes County Sheriff's Office has ordered Level III Evacuation Notices for the following areas:

Saddleback Subdivision on both sides of Johnson Road.

Skyliners Road area outside of the City of Bend.

Level II Evacuation Notices are in effect for the following areas:

Area south of Shevlin Park, west of Mt. Washington, and north of Century Drive.

Level I Evacuation Notices have been issued for the following areas:

Remainder of Northwest Crossing (the area east of Mt. Washington Drive).

Residents in the area north of Shevlin Park, west of Mt. Washington Drive.

Displaced residents in need of a place to stay or other resources are encouraged to report to the American Red Cross shelter located at High Desert Middle School located at 61111 27th Street.

Red Cross information can also be obtained by calling 541-382-2142.

A livestock shelter has been opened at the Deschutes County Fairgrounds in Redmond, Ore.

The two fires were reported by Black Butte Lookout at 12:48 Saturday afternoon. The fires are burning in a mix of Deschutes National Forest and private lands protected by the Oregon Department of Forestry.

Salem-News.com will have more on this story as soon as it becomes available

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