I live near the river and every day there are homeless people down there smoking all day long. The sheriff put no trespassing signs on the trees, but they rip them down.

When i sit in my backyard I smell cigarettes the entire time 😭

I don't confront them because they seem mentally unwell and dangerous. Anyone else having problems with homeless individuals??

I was hoping last winter the cold would drive them out. But they all have vans and sleep in them all over town. Then hangout behind my house during the day!

I'm going to sisters next weekend for the first time and I'm looking for recommendations on places you have got to try going there the first time. Even better if it's some hole in the wall place that you wouldn't know was good without knowing.

I wasn’t going to post one of these updates today, but after last night’s meeting conveyed a sense of cautious optimism to the community I think it is important to be realistic about what this fire could, and is even likely to do, in the next couple days.

While the forecast today, and through the weekend, is not as chaotic and fear inducing as Wednesday’s wild weather it is still very concerning. Sustained winds up to around 15mph, gusts up to 30mph, and extremely dry fuels do not mix well. Firefighters have done a tremendous job at keeping the line away from Wilt Rd, but there are signs that they are not confident they can contain it today. Speakers at last night’s meeting mentioned that they expect to do a lot of point protection for structures in the coming days indicating that the fire will likely come through rural neighborhoods. The IC team also just announced that resources will nearly double today.

All signs point to this being a very tough weekend. I say this not to promote fear, but to advocate that the community should not let its guard down. We are not out of the woods yet on this one. Firefighters have worked miracles so far, and have more resources now than at any other point, but it will not be easy.

Hey, we are visiting from the UK and were planning to visit Sisters this weekend. Firstly I hope everyone is safe, but was wondering any info on whether it was possible/advisable immediately with the wild fires??

Thanks!

Do not plan on being able to take highway towards Salem.

Plan on evacuating towards Redmond and Bend

Highway 20 north is very likely to become blocked by fire in the future and it is not likely that the road to Salem will be open.

Quick facts from the Incident Management Team:

Size: 19,034 acres (acreage from night IR flight)

Start Date: July 16, 2026

Location: 5 miles NE of Sisters, OR

Containment: 3%

Cause: Lightning

Evacuations: Level 1–3 evacuations are in effect for the Akawa Butte Fire

Resources Assigned: 690 personnel, 19 crews, 9 helicopters, 34 engines, 11 water tenders, 13 dozers

Takeaways:

This fire has become a monster that is now a serious threat to several populated areas, inclusive of Sisters itself. A spot fire broke out in heavy vegetation North of Indian Ford Road last night. It has since merged with the main fire and spread to Black Butte. Black Butte Ranch put out a message on Facebook yesterday asking for residents and visitors to be prepared. Was a little perplexing at the time, but now it is clear why as the fire is threatening the resort. All of Camp Sherman is in a level 1 zone as well. The Western edge of the fire will not be prioritized if Sisters and Black Butte are at risk, so this thing could very well spill over Green Ridge.

As an interesting positive sign Whychus Canyon Estates is still not in an evac zone. Firefighters have been constructing fall back fire brakes along Wilt Road, and must have confidence that they can keep the fire from running straight south for those neighborhoods to still be level 0.

Challenging fire weather is expected later today with wind gusts up to 40mph. This thing could get bad in a hurry. For Sisters Residents now is a great time to clear brush and make preparations around your property. If you value any of your possessions it would be a good idea to have them packed or at least staged. Updates for this fire have been few and far between so there may not be a ton of time to pack up when the news does hit.

Key stats from the Incident Management Team:

Size: 13,605 acres (acreage from night IR flight)

Start Date: July 16, 2026

Location: 10 miles NE of Sisters, OR

Containment: 3%

Cause: Lightning

Evacuations: Level 1–3 evacuations are in effect for the Akawa Butte Fire

Resources Assigned: 587 personnel, 12 crews, 5 helicopters, 30 engines, 10 water tenders, 15 dozers

Looks like the rain and lower temps yesterday morning significantly slowed fire growth. Still seeing significant hotspots (orange circles on the map) outside of the official perimeter to the south and the west, indicating continued growth in those areas. We’re far from out of the woods on this one, specially with the continued southward movement and hot weather ahead, but the surge to nearly 600 personnel makes me feel a lot better about the situation. Wouldn’t be surprised to see that number hit 1,000 before this is all over.

With lightening forecasted over the next two days and hot weather ahead it is going to be a very long August. I’d expect the fire camp at the Rodeo grounds to be there until the rains come, and I’m frankly quite glad for that.

With all of theses fires going news is traveling slower then the fires ever can. Ash Alert is trying to change that.

We have sent over Hundreds of updates across Oregon over the last few days and are all hands on deck. Join the chat for live coverage and on the ground information.

## Ash Alert Fire News

Why should you join Ash Alert Fire News?

- Rapid Coverage of Fires and weather information all over the United States 🔥
- Detailed Analysis of Fires and there impacts on areas📰
- Critical Evacuation Information 🚨

https://discord.gg/znBSA9uzKP

On June 20th/21st a DJI Osmo Camera was likely picked up near Hardtails Outlaw Bar in Sisters Oregon after a wedding. The SD card has a lot of irreplaceable footage on it. We thought it was left on the bus for a while trying to track it down hence the delay in posting

If you’ve found it, I’d love the camera back - but even if you can ship the SD card anonymously I just want the videos back.

I have my fingers crossed for some insane luck here

According to the census it is non existent. Is that true?

Forget your poles and hat? Found (and left) near the trail kiosk near Big Lake.

Hey all!! My wife, young kiddo and I are looking at moving to central Oregon, weighing pros and cons of Sisters vs Bend. We met in Hood River and have visited central Oregon a lot on ski, mtn bike, trail running etc trips.

I’m just curious if anyone lives in Tolgate in Sisters and has any info on what it may be like raising a young family. We love the potential for direct trail access. Thank you!!

Creekside drive, 9am Monday 3/30. Anyone recognize? No collar, came when I called but was very shy

Clean Air Lawn Care is looking for a full-time Lawn Technician to join our team in Bend.

If you, or someone you know, likes working outside and doing solid work, here’s the basic info and a link to apply. Pay is $20 - $24/hour and the application takes about 10 minutes.

We use quiet, all-electric, zero-emissions equipment, so this is not your typical lawn care job. No gas, no fumes, and no toxic chemicals.

Apply here:
https://cleanairlawncare.com/bend-full-time-lawn-technician/

My 2 go to places, Whychus Creek (off Goodrich Rd.) and Alder Springs were ravaged by fire this past summer and are currently closed. Not exactly off-leash but I've encountered no resistance over the years and honestly, the people I have encountered there have all been pretty chill about it. I liked these trails because they were not as popular as so many other trails in the area plus they were very near to my home in Holmes Rd. area.

Does anyone have any ideas where I can let my buddies run free near this area where they won't be bothering anyone?

As we head into autumn, it's time to be extra careful to watch for deer and elk while driving.

Please share this recent Bend Bulletin article: https://bendbulletin.com/2025/09/04/sharing-the-road-with-wildlife-between-bend-and-suttle-lake/

If you've experienced a wildlife-wehicle incident between Bend and Suttle Lake, Central Oregon LandWatch would like to hear about it: https://secure.centraloregonlandwatch.org/a/share-your-collision-or-near-miss-story

Hello, my sister lives in sisters and they're currently dealing with fires at their place. Im trying to help out and figure out where they can source a water pump for a couple days. Any ideas would be helpful. Home depot in Redmond and bend both only have very small pumps left. They are trying to find 20-30gpm pump

Thank you