Prineville driver jailed on reckless driving, burning, endangering charges after dragged tire sparked 10-acre wildfire

(Update: Details of fire's cause, charges against driver; all evacuation levels lifted)

PRINEVILLE, Ore. (KTVZ) – A Prineville woman has been jailed on reckless driving, reckless burning and reckless endangering charges, accused of dragging a tire with her speeding car and sparking a 10-acre wildfire Friday evening that closed Highway 126, prompted evacuations and destroyed or damaged several outbuildings and RVs.

Crook County dispatchers received several calls around 6 p.m. Friday reporting a gold-colored Volvo speeding eastbound on Highway 126 near the Crook-Deschutes County line, Sergeant Tim Durheim said.

Callers said the car, first reported near milepost 3.5, was dragging a tire and throwing sparks, Durheim said. Eventually, one caller reported the car had caused a fire near Highway 126 and Stillman Road.

Responding deputies arrived minutes later and saw several homes and structures were threatened by the wind-fanned, fast-growing fire, the sergeant said.

Sheriff’s deputies, assisted by Oregon State Police troopers, quickly began evacuating the nearby homes. Soon, a Level 3 GO NOW evacuation was issued for all homes on the east side of Stillman Road and all of Steffey Lane. That was dropped about five hours later to Level 2 BE SET an the residents were allowed to return home, Durheim said.

Crook County Fire and Rescue firefighters were joined by Alfalfa and Cloverdale firefighters and units from the Oregon Department of Forestry, Bureau of Land Management, Forest Service and a structure-protection ask force from the Oregon State Fire Marshal’s Office in an air and ground attack to stop the fire, contained at about 10 acres.

Despite thick stands of trees, tall grass and closely spaced structures, no stick-built homes were lost, but several outbuildings and RVs were destroyed or damaged by the fire. No injuries were reported.

Due to the proximity of the highway to the fire and congestion from firefighting apparatus, a three-mile stretch of Highway 126 five miles west of Prineville was closed, with traffic detoured onto secondary roads, Durheim said. A small section of SW Stillman Road was closed through the night and into early Saturday afternoon.

Deputies and Prineville Police officers stopped the car as it neared Prineville and the 44-year-old driver was arrested and taken to the county jail, where she was held without bail on six counts of reckless endangering, two counts of reckless burning and reckless driving. Durheim said more charges are pending as the investigation continues.

NewsChannel 21 does not identify arrested individuals until and unless formal charges are filed.

All evacuation levels have been lifted, deputies said Saturday evening.

Durheim added, "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."

The Stillman Fire was reported 6 p.m. and burned about 10 acres, closing the highway five miles west of Prineville, near milepost 13, also prompting Level 3 GO NOW and some Level 2 BE READY evacuation alert for a smaller area to the west, later expanded to the south.

Crook County Sheriff John Gautney said the tire dragged by the driver sparked in the wind, igniting the dry grass along the road.

Highway 126 reopened late Friday night as crews made further progress putting out the blaze.

Crook County Fire & Rescue had fire crews on scene throughout the night. SW Stillman Road was reduced to local traffic only.

The latest Crook County evacuation map can be found here .

Sheriff's Lt. Mitch Madden said in an initial Facebook video post from near SW Steffey Lane, “We do have an active and fast-moving wildfire” and that they were asking everybody to “avoid this area and if you are living in this area to leave immediately.”

A Red Cross evacuation center was opened at Powell Butte Christian Church, according to a later update from Undersheriff Bill Elliott.

Madden followed up around 7:40 p.m. with a video report saying that forward progress of the fire had been stopped, but mop-up work continued from the air and ground.

In an update around 9:15 p.m., the sheriff's office said "Fire crews are still working on extinguishing the fire. The winds are still out of the north-northwest and we are ensuring that we don't end up with any spot fires."

During the Highway 126 closure, ODOT had a detour in place between SW Parrish and Wiley roads; find updates at www.tripcheck.com .

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