On Sunday, May 28, La Pine Rural Fire Protection District responded to a house fire at 15863 Bristlecone LN, according to Captain Ty Miller.
Miller said both La Pine fire crews were in the process of transporting patients to St. Charles Medical Center in Bend when the fire started. This required the Sunriver Fire Department and the Bend Fire Department to assist until the La Pine crews could get back from Bend.
“Upon arrival, large flames were reported to be coming from the roof and the fire was beginning to run the length of the attic,” Miller said.
Response times were impacted by fire crews traveling to La Pine, allowing the fire to grow into a full-scale attic fire along the entirety of the roof, according to the La Pine Fire District.
The La Pine Incident Command deemed the house fire too dangerous to fight from the inside due to potential roof collapse, so crews stayed outside of the structure for the entirety of the operation.
“The efforts of firefighters and neighbors having plenty of defensible space on their properties prevented the fire from extending into trees and nearby brush,” Miller said.
No injuries to occupants or firefighters were reported. However, La Pine Fire believes two cats perished in the fire.
La Pine Fire District representatives would like to remind all citizens to have properly installed and working smoke alarms.
The cause of the fire is under investigation, according to Miller.
