Redmond is moving closer to banning personal fireworks inside city limits.

City leaders held a public hearing this week, with fire danger and the strain on emergency responders around the Fourth of July driving the discussion.

Mayor Ed Fitch says the council took a preliminary vote, with six members in favor and one opposed. The final vote is set for August 25th, and Fitch says he expects the ban to pass.

The city is also exploring a July 3rd community celebration, aimed at creating a fireworks-free tradition for families while reducing wildfire risk and emergency calls.

Bend Police say impaired driving continues to be a daily concern, with 278 DUI arrests so far this year — a pace officials say is similar to recent years. Bend PD’s Sheila Miller tells KBND News officers have responded to at least four crashes in the past 10 days where drivers were arrested for impairment at the scene. Another incident happened Saturday at 3rd and Reed Market, where police say a person overdosed while driving. Miller says officers are also continuing targeted patrols for speeding and distracted driving. During a recent Parkway detail, officers issued 12 speeding tickets in one hour, with drivers clocked at 65 to 72 miles per hour.

Deschutes County prosecutors are warning that human-caused fires can bring criminal charges when risky choices spark danger in dry summer conditions. District Attorney Steve Gunnells tells KBND News investigators first determine how a fire started, then whether someone’s actions crossed a legal line. He says police can cite people for reckless burning, an Oregon misdemeanor that can carry jail time. Intentional fire-setting can lead to arson charges, and if a fire injures or kills someone, prison time can be substantial. Gunnells says several local fire cases have already been referred to his office, involving brush burning, fireworks, and exploding targets.

Oregon Senator Ron Wyden is calling for stronger federal wildfire support after briefings in Warm Springs and Prineville. Meeting with Central Oregon officials Monday, Wyden said local firefighters are showing courage and resourcefulness, but federal readiness has fallen behind. He pointed to the Rowe Creek Complex, saying crews there currently have only about half the support they need. Wyden says he has been warning for months that Washington is moving too slowly as fire danger grows. He is pushing for more funding, expanded prescribed fire efforts, and protections for local agencies that are often first on the line when wildfires threaten communities.

Bend is putting one-million dollars from its Affordable Housing Fund toward two homeownership projects. Mayor Melanie Kebler says the annual process supports developments for residents earning below the area median income, with recommendations coming from the Affordable Housing Advisory Committee before final council approval.

Three-hundred-fifty-thousand dollars will go to Bend-Redmond Habitat for Humanity, helping eight local households purchase homes near Bear Creek Road and Northeast 15th Street. The homes will include down payment assistance to help keep monthly costs affordable.

Thistle and Nest will also receive funding as it continues building homes at Woodhaven Estates.

Federal investigators are investigating a fatal plane crash west of Bend that authorities say was intentional.

Deschutes County deputies say 48-year-old Steven Charlton took off from Bend Airport around 1:30 Tuesday afternoon and remained airborne for more than five hours. Sheriff’s Office spokesman Jason Carr says concern grew after Charlton called his wife from the plane, prompting her to contact authorities.

Carr says deputies and negotiators tried to reach Charlton during the flight, while the FBI coordinated with Klamath Falls Air Force Base. Charlton reportedly only wanted to speak with family.

He was the only person aboard. No other injuries or property damage were reported.

The NTSB is asking witnesses to email witness@ntsb.gov.

Fire officials say Central Oregonians remain a key part of preventing new wildfires, even as lightning has sparked many of the region’s largest recent burns. Forest Service spokesperson Kaitlyn Webb says a mid-July lightning storm drove several major starts, but human activity is still a major concern, with 101 human-caused fires reported so far this year. Central Oregon has already seen more fire starts than the 10-year average, and far more acres burned than usual. Updates are available at Central Oregon Fire dot org, including text alert sign-ups, and through the interagency Central Oregon Fire account on X.

National Night Out returns Tuesday in Bend and Redmond, offering families a chance to meet police, firefighters, and community groups outside of emergency situations.

Redmond Police Lieutenant April Huey says the event is about building trust, calling it a yearly highlight for officers to talk safety and connect with residents on positive terms.

Bend Police Chief Mike Krantz says the national effort has a local focus: getting people involved in the community while strengthening relationships with public safety agencies.

Bend’s event runs from 4 to 8 at Mountain View High School. Redmond’s runs from 6 to 8 at Centennial Park.

Redmond High School’s main building is closed as maintenance crews tackle asbestos removal and major infrastructure repairs. Superintendent Dr. Charan Cline says the work expanded after crews drained the school’s aging heating and cooling system and found two boilers cracked open from years of continuous operation. Cline tells KBND News the district now plans to remove more asbestos than originally expected, adding significant cost to the project. Students will remain in temporary classrooms while construction continues. District leaders say the goal is to address as much of the hazardous material as possible while the building is already under repair.

Gas prices are still climbing, though not as sharply as earlier increases. Triple-A’s Marie Dodds says a pause in the fighting in Iran helped calm pump prices somewhat, but concerns remain over the Strait of Hormuz. Roughly 20 percent of the world’s oil and refined products move through that narrow waterway, and any disruption can drive crude prices higher on fears of tighter global supply. Nationally, regular gas rose eight cents this week to $4.10 a gallon. Oregon’s average increased seven cents to $4.64. In Bend, drivers are paying about $4.52 a gallon, up nine cents from last week.

The Oregon Department of Human Services is asking for help finding two missing children from Bend.

Ten-year-old Julian Hawes and nine-year-old Mahina Hawes were reported missing last Thursday the 23rd and may be in Bend or Redmond.

Julian is 4-foot-6 with short blond hair and green eyes.

Mahina is 4-foot-2 with shoulder-length sandy brown hair and green eyes. Anyone who sees them should call 911 or local law enforcement.

Bend firefighters battled two fires Sunday afternoon, starting with a fast-moving brush fire behind the Red Lion Hotel on Butler Market Road. Crews, with help from Bend Police and the U.S. Forest Service, stopped the flames at just over an acre before the hotel was damaged. Guests were briefly evacuated, and Butler Market Road and part of the southbound parkway were impacted. Investigators say the fire appears to have started from an abandoned fire in a houseless encampment.

While crews were mopping up, a house fire broke out on Starling Drive. Officials say food left on a stove caused about 100-thousand dollars in damage. The occupants had returned home earlier in the day and accidentally left food on the stove as they left again. Red Cross is helping the homeowners.

Deschutes County leaders say fire crews are stretched thin after Wednesday’s storm sparked dozens of new fires. Commissioner Phil Chang says the region is already at Preparedness Level 5, meaning aircraft, crews, trucks, bulldozers, and other firefighting resources are deployed. Chang tells KBND News residents can help by avoiding preventable fire starts, especially with dry vegetation, volatile weather, and at least two months left in the typical fire season. He says crews are responding strategically and safely, despite being under pressure from two lightning storms in seven days. Stage 2 public use restrictions begin Saturday, banning campfires on all public lands, including campgrounds.

(Sisters, OR) – Wednesday a pyrocumulus cloud (a dense, puffy cloud created by intense surface heating) formed over the fire prior to the arrival of the forecasted thunderstorms. The pyrocumulus cloud created its own weather system over the fire area and produced its own lightning.

Extreme fire behavior due to critically dry fuels and gusty outflow winds from the afternoon thunderstorms pushed the fire downhill toward Indian Ford and Wilt Roads and has crossed the Stevens Canyon Road. Firefighters encountered 150 to 200-foot flame lengths; requiring all resources to fall back on the south end of the fire and modify tactics to maintain firefighter safety and protect structures.

Heavy equipment constructed a fire line in and around the Wilt Road area. Firefighters successfully extinguished numerous spot fires near Wilt Rd and No Name Rd. Four structure task forces worked swing shift into the evening hours, providing additional protection near homes in the Indian Ford and Wilt Road areas. The fire received precipitation from the thunderstorm. Incident Commander, Craig Pettinger, encouraged the night shift by saying, “We’ve been handed a gift, and we need to take advantage of this break in the weather.”

Precipitation has calmed fire activity and will provide an opportunity to flank the active fire area. On the southern and western sides of the fire heavy equipment and crews constructed direct control lines utilizing attack where possible. Structural resources continued to triage and provide point protection on homes through the night.

Multiple road closures went into effect including Middle View Road, Indian Ford Road, and the section between Green Ridge Road and Meadow View Road. Central Electric Cooperative has deenergized power to homes on Stevens Canyon Road to Pine Glen Road and north of Indian Ford Road. For more information visit the Central Electric Coop website at www.cec.coop

Public Meeting An in-person community meeting will be held at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, July 23, at the Sisters High School Auditorium. The meeting will be live-streamed for virtual attendees via Facebook on the Sisters-Camp Sherman Fire District Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/SCSRFPD

An in-person community meeting will be held Thursday, at 6:30 p.m. at the Sisters High School auditorium. The meeting will also be livestreamed on the Sisters-Camp Sherman Fire Department Facebook page: facebook.com/SCSRFPD.

Fire managers anticipate the Box Springs burning in Crook and Jefferson counties will merge with the Crosswhite fire within the next 24 hours. The Crosswhite is 131-thousand acres burning in Wheeler county, part of the massive Rowe Complex fire.

Private property on the north of Indian Ford Creek to the Forest Boundary of the Akawa Butte Fire has been upgraded to a Level 2 (Be Set) Evacuation Notice. 

The National Weather Service has issued a Red Flag Warning in effect from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Wednesday for abundant lightning.    

Governor Tina Kotek declared a conflagration for another Central Oregon wildfire Monday. The Akawa Butte and Brewer fires continue to force evacuations in Deschutes and Jefferson counties. The Akawa Butte Fire, 13 miles northeast of Sisters, has burned over 10-thousand acres. And, the Brewer Fire, 13 miles east of Madras, has burned over 24-thousand acres. Oregon’s largest incident is the Rowe Creek Complex, south of Fossil … it’s burned nearly 143-thousand acres. The Hay Creek Complex, west of Condon, is 123-thousand acres. Outside Post, the Coyote Fire is now at 21-thousand acres, with the nearby Henry Fire at 20-thousand. In Southern Oregon, the East Evans Creek fire is 15-thousand acres.

By comparison, last year there were 26 fires burning more than 142-thousand acres through this date. This year, there are 40 large fires that are burning more than 410-thousand acres.

The Akawa Butte Fire near Crooked River Ranch is more than 6,800-acres. The distance to the fire perimeter -  8 miles east of Camp Sherman, over 10 miles north of Sisters, 9 miles west of Culver and 6.6 miles southwest from Cove Palisades State Park.

The public is asked to take caution and be aware while driving in the region due to increased fire activity and equipment, especially around the Sisters Rodeo grounds which has heavy equipment and crews entering and leaving at all hours.

Fire officials and the Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office have updated evacuation levels for the Akawa Butte Fire as fire activity continues to shift and threaten nearby areas.

The following area is now at Level 3 (Go Now):

Northern part of Stevens Canyon Road between Forest Road 2050 and west of Wilt Road north of Big Buck Road.

Level 2 (Be Set)

Addresses on the east side of Wilt Road, north of Big Buck Road to the county line.

Sisters High School is now the shelter location for those needing assistance due to evacuations from the Akawa Butte Fire. 

The Akawa Butte virtual community meeting scheduled for 7 PM Monday, July 20^th. See the Akawa Butte Fire Facebook page for more details.

(pic from Bend Chamber)

Property-owner opposition has halted Bend’s proposed Central District Economic Improvement District. City Manager Eric King says the objection level exceeded the threshold allowed under state law, where opposition from 33 percent or more of affected owners prevents an assessment from moving forward.

The district was intended to help fund promotion, events, business development, and upkeep of public facilities in Bend’s Core Area. King says some owners felt the plan was premature, with redevelopment still in transition and projects not yet fully in place.

The City Council is expected to formally rescind the ordinance that created the district. King says broader redevelopment plans for the Core Area will continue.

pic: Chief Mike Krantz

Bend Police are offering more detail on technology used during last week’s suspect search. Officers were looking Thursday for a person who had eluded police, before making an arrest Friday. Chief Mike Krantz says Reverse 911 lets police send targeted alerts to people registered within a specific area near an active response. He says drones also help officers safely assess a scene before moving in. By getting an overhead view, police can locate a suspect, track their position, and guide officers in cautiously. Krantz tells KBND News those tools are improving safety for officers, suspects, and the community.

pic: Steve Gunnels, D.A.

Criminal cases are slowing in Deschutes County as more defendants are found unable to understand charges or help their attorneys. District Attorney Steve Gunnels says the county’s aid-and-assist docket has more than doubled in recent years — from 24 people in January 2020, to 36 in 2022, and 53 this year. Gunnels says the main bottleneck is limited space at the Oregon State Hospital, where defendants receive treatment aimed at restoring competency for trial. He says the growing strain reflects a broader rise in severe mental illness, creating delays locally and across the state.

Thursday afternoon around 4:45 pm, Saint Charles in Bend went into lockout after a phone call threatened a shooting.  Bend Police were on the way when they attempted to pull over a man near Northeast Neff Road and 27th Street who is wanted in connection with a July 7 domestic assault. The suspect ran from the vehicle into a nearby apartment complex. Officers set up a perimeter, used drones and K9s, and the County alerted nearly 2,000 nearby homes and businesses to stay indoors. The search was unsuccessful.  Police are still looking for a white man, 6-foot-1, 155 pounds, last seen wearing a black hat, black T-shirt and gray camouflage cargo shorts, with tattoos extending onto his neck. Anyone who sees him should call 911. The shooting threat to St. Charles was unrelated and unfounded.

Central Oregon’s wildfire season is seeing a near-normal number of starts, but far fewer acres burned than usual. Forest Service spokesperson Kaitlyn Webb says summer heat is still creating concern, with vegetation drying out and becoming more likely to ignite. Crews have responded to 124 wildfires so far this year. Webb says the key difference is acreage: the 10-year average for this point in the season is about 19,000 acres burned, while this year’s total remains much lower. Public use restrictions remain in effect across Central Oregon as fire danger continues.

Evacuation levels have been lowered near the Coyner Fire north of Redmond after crews stopped the fire’s forward progress. All Level 3 “Go Now” notices are now reduced to Level 1, meaning residents should remain ready in case conditions change. The Sheriff’s Office is urging people in the area to stay alert and watch for fire crews and emergency vehicles. The fire remains at 20.5 acres and is 20 percent contained. Firefighters worked through the night July 5th, strengthening the perimeter and cooling flare-ups in unburned fuel. Crews are continuing mop-up around containment lines and nearby structures.