Jackpine Fire South of La Pine Jumps Road, 20 acres, 30% contained; 2 task forces called; Level 2 evacuation warning issued

(Update: Jackpine fire 20 acres, 30% contained; Level 2 BE SET evacuation notice)

LA PINE, Ore. (KTVZ) — A wildfire reported early Friday afternoon near Masten Road south of La Pine brought crews from multiple agencies to the scene and prompted a Level 1 BE READY evacuation notice. The fire then jumped a road and grew to about 20 acres, prompting task forces and a broader Level 2 BE SET evacuation alert.

Incident 465, later named the Jackpine Fire, was reported around 12:30 a.m. south of Masten Road, east of Deer Forest Drive and west of Jackpine Loop, Central Oregon fire officials said.

Crews from the La Pine Rural Fire Protection District, Sunriver Fire, the Forest Service, the Oregon Department of Forestry and Walker Range Fire Patrol were called to the scene to work together to stop and extinguish the fire.

La Pine Fire Chief Erick Holsey said first crews arrived to find burning trees and spot fires.

By 2 p.m., the fire was about 5% contained and a bulldozer was being used to install the plumbing, Holsey said.

The fire chief said homes in Deer Forest and an adjacent ranch were initially placed under Level 1 evacuation orders. He added that the cause of the fire was still under investigation.

At approximately 3:10 p.m., after the fire rekindled and jumped Jackpine Loop, the Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office issued a Level 2 BE SET warning for all residents west of Highway 97 and south of Masten Road to the Deschutes/Klamath County line. The most recent map can be viewed at http://www.deschutes.org/emergency.

Resources on the ground included engines, bulldozers, and 10-man hand crews, with more on the way. A helicopter, single-engine tanker planes, and air assault supported ground resources.

Holsey said in a 5:30 p.m. update that the fire was 30% contained. They had gone to a second alarm for structural protection, deployed two task forces of resources across the county, and the Level 2 evacuation order was still in effect.

Central Oregon firefighters reported shortly before 6 p.m. that the fire had grown to an estimated 50 acres.

“Firefighters on the ground continue to use helicopters and firefighting aircraft to slow the spread of the fire as they work to establish bulldozer lines around the fire boundary,” the fire department said.