The Nugget Newspaper

07/30/2026

People in Camp Sherman are keeping an eye on the Bench Fire. Note evacuation levels posted by the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office.

07/28/2026

A Golden Eagle soars above the Akawa Butte Fire area in Sisters Country.
Photo by Nate Lichvarcik

07/28/2026

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

The Sisters-Camp Sherman Fire District is a combination career and volunteer department serving the

07/28/2026

Events & Entertainment in Sisters... Visit www.nuggetnews.com/page/community-events-calendar/110.html to see more events.

07/27/2026

Returning home after a wildfire? Take time to do it safely.

As evacuation areas begin to reopen, remember that hazards may remain even after the flames have passed. Firefighters and support crews may still be working throughout the area — extinguishing hot spots, patrolling fire lines, and continuing suppression and recovery efforts. Please use caution, follow posted guidance, and give emergency personnel room to work.

Before entering a fire-impacted area:

• Stay alert for hazards — watch for downed power lines, fire-damaged trees, unstable structures, ash pits, and debris.
• Use caution around burned areas — hot spots can remain underground and may flare up without warning.
• Drive carefully — roads may be damaged, narrowed by debris, or have limited visibility due to smoke and ash. Fire personnel may be working along roadways.
• Keep children and pets away from hazards — burned areas can contain hidden dangers.
• Food Safety —If your home was without power, check refrigerated and frozen foods before consuming them. When in doubt, throw it out – discard any perishable food that has been above 40 degrees F for more than two hours or shows signs of spoilage.

If your personal property was impacted by fire:

• Wear protective gear — sturdy shoes, gloves, long sleeves, and an N95 mask can help protect against ash and debris.
• Check utilities before use — do not turn on gas, electricity, or water systems until they have been inspected and cleared.

Reentry is an important step toward recovery, but fire areas can remain hazardous for some time. Stay informed, follow guidance from local officials, and allow firefighters and crews the space they need to continue their work safely.
Smoke will continue to be visible in the area as firefighters continue their mop-up efforts across the fire. Air quality information is available on www.fire.airnow.com

For additional recovery resources, please visit: https://sheriff.deschutes.org/services/emergency-management/recovery/

For recovery assistance, please visit:
https://app.smartsheet.com/b/form/019f8b3409b379aea2e39750f79583d3

07/27/2026

Continued Progress on Akawa Butte Fire Allows the Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office to Reduce Additional Evacuation Notices

The Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office, in coordination with fire officials, has reduced evacuation levels in limited areas on the Southeast side of the Akawa Butte Fire effective at 11:00 a.m. on Monday, July 27th. The new areas being downgraded from Level 3 (Go Now) to Level 2 (Be Set) include Whychus Canyon Estates, areas off Mt. View Road between Appaloosa Drive and Buffalo Drive. This change also affects the Henkle Butte area, Vista Ridge Drive, Stardust Lane, and Annie’s Drive.

Updated Evacuation Notices: https://flashalert.net/news.html?id=5227

Please drive carefully and respect the roadblocks as they have also moved. Firefighting personnel and equipment are causing significant traffic in the area as they move around to extinguish hot spots near the fire lines. Power may still be out in some areas. Central Electric Cooperative (CEC) is inspecting all power lines in the area today and will re-energize once it's deemed safe.

07/27/2026

An update on the SOLD OUT 7/29 Molly Tuttle concert. See you Wednesday!

07/27/2026

Smoke was visible Sunday from burning vegetation on the southeast slope of Little Akawa Butte. Fire activity decreased across the rest of the Akawa Butte Fire, allowing crews to expand mop-up operations around the majority of the fire’s perimeter. Control lines held through the day with a single spot fire detected in the Forest Road 780 area and quickly contained.

Crews along the northern and southern edges of the fire continued working to increase the length and depth of hose lays. A hose lay is the arranged line of connected fire hoses used to carry water from a fire engine or water tender deeper into the burned area to use for mop-up. This helps to reduce the risk of small hidden fires and smoldering vegetation from reigniting and escaping containment. Incident Commander Matt Howard emphasized the efforts crews are taking on the fire line, saying, “39 miles of hose, 205,000 feet has been laid.”

Crews will continue holding and strengthening lines along active areas and structures and mopping up through the night.

The Nugget Newspaper: News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon

07/26/2026

Akawa Butte Fire – how you can help

By Kellen Klein

Sisters Country is still in the throes of the Akawa Butte Fire. But as we saw last year during the Flat Fire, immense goodwill and support are once again emerging from within our community and far beyond.
We’ve heard from many folks eager to assist those impacted by the fire and show gratitude to those who are coming to our community’s aid. Thank you for your generosity!
Below are a variety of ways you can help victims, responders, nonprofits, businesses, and the broader community recover from the Akawa Butte Fire. We will update this page as we learn more.
For those impacted by the fire, please:
• Share your needs with Deschutes County Sheriff’s Emergency Management team so that they and partnering community groups can attempt to connect you with services and support;
• Check out wildfire.oregon.gov/recovery for guidance on how to get support, safely return home, and more.
Support fire victims
• Donate to regional nonprofit NeighborImpact’s Wildfire Relief Fund. Contributions are tax-deductible, and will go toward financial and resource aid for fire victims, including those who lost homes or otherwise need help getting back on their feet. On their donate page, select “Wildfire Relief Fund” from the dropdown menu, and write “Akawa Butte Fire” in the comments section.
Support emergency responders
• If you see emergency responders around town, treat them with respect and show your appreciation. Better yet, pay for their meal!
• Post signs outside your home or business expressing gratitude to those who protected our community. Please don’t post on public or private property without permission.
• Donate to our local and regional fire associations. They were some of the first responders to the Akawa Butte Fire, and provide an array of programs to help the community better prepare for and respond to fires.
• Sisters-Camp Sherman Volunteer Firefighters Association | Or mail a check to: PO Box 1509, Sisters, OR 97759.
• Cloverdale Volunteer Firefighters Association | Or mail a check to: 67433 Cloverdale Rd. Sisters, OR 97759.
• Black Butte RFPD Volunteers | Mail a check to: 13511 Hawks Beard, Sisters, OR 97759.
• Central Oregon Public Safety Chaplaincy | Or mail a check to: PO Box 1898, Redmond, OR 97756.
• Oregon Volunteer Firefighters Association, which provides support and representation for Oregon's Volunteer Emergency Responders.
• Oregon Chapter of the Wildland Firefighter Foundation, which supports firefighters and their families through financial aid, physical and emotional support, advocacy, and community.
• Continue to make your property more resilient to wildfire by investing in home hardening and creating defensible space. Learn more about what you can do at wildfireprepared.org, request a wildfire home assessment from Sisters-Camp Sherman Fire District, and access more toolkits and resources at citizens4community.com/fire.
Support local and regional nonprofits
Many nonprofits are engaged in relief efforts or developing resources to assist victims. Your support – whether through donations or volunteering – helps them continue their important community work. ***Those with asterisks next to their name have current volunteer needs.
• Red Cross of Central and Eastern Oregon, which has been hosting a shelter at Sisters High School for dozens of evacuees and providing immediate support for fire victims.
• 3 Sisters Equine | Assisting with pet evacuation, care, and broader support.
• Citizens4Community | Helping to coordinate local nonprofit relief and recovery work, and connecting those in need with regional resources and information.
• CORE | Providing rapid relief services, resources, and a food pantry to evacuees and other at-risk community members.
• Family Access Network (FAN) | Provides basic needs for at-risk youth and their families, and has seen an uptick in need from families who evacuated.
• Furry Friends Foundation | Assisting with pet evacuation, managing a local pet food bank, and broader support for pets of impacted families.
• Harmony Farm Sanctuary | Assisting with pet evacuation, care, and broader support.
• Mustangs to the Rescue | Providing large animal evacuation support and care.
• NeighborImpact | Providing support services and financial aid for fire victims through their Wildfire Relief Fund, and broader relief services for at-risk community members.
• Pet Evacuation Team | Assisting with pet evacuation, care, and broader support.
• Sisters Food Bank (Kiwanis) May prove to be a critical food source for longer-term evacuees, and offers healthy food for all community members in need.
• Sisters Park & Recreation District | Hosting firefighters for day-sleeping in the Community Center.
• Watch Duty | The nonprofit, volunteer-run app that many community members rely on to inform them of fire updates and firefighting efforts in real-time.
Support local businesses
Tourism often drastically decreases after a local disaster, during a season many businesses rely on to stay afloat through the winter months. Once it is safe for you to do so, you can support our local economy by:
• “Shopping like a tourist.” Make an extra effort to patronize local businesses in the coming days. Prioritize shopping local before online, booking services in town, and dining out when you can.
• Buying gift cards. Even if you don’t need something today, gift cards put cash in the register now.
• Tipping generously. Extra tips help offset reduced hours and unexpected expenses.
• Once they re-open, be sure to attend local events. Events like Sisters Farmers Market, Sisters Arts Association’s Fourth Fridays, and live music all drive energy downtown.
• Offering rides, sharing resources, or lending a hand so impacted employees can still get to work.
The Akawa Butte Fire is once again putting Sisters Country on edge. But when the going gets tough, we know that Sisters is at its best – rolling up our sleeves, linking arms, and getting to work in support of our neighbors and all those coming to our aid. Thank you all in advance for your efforts to help our community in its time of need.
Kellen Klein is the Executive Director of Citizens4Community, a nonpartisan nonprofit working to foster a more connected Sisters Country through civility, collaboration and civic engagement. Learn more at Citizens4Community.com.

07/26/2026

Folks in Sisters will likely see another column of smoke rise on the north-northeast horizon this afternoon — but it will not represent a new threat from the 27,222-acre blaze.
Oregon Department of Complex Incident Management Team 2 reports that crews and heavy equipment will continue to strengthen containment lines around the fire in preparation for another day of hot, dry, windy conditions. An unburned pocket of vegetation on the west side of the fire that threw up a big plume of smoke on Saturday afternoon will continue to burn today — within control lines.
The team reports that firing operations may be conducted to fully isolate the pocket, removing fuels that threaten control lines. Helicopters will continue to support ground crews with water drops around the fire throughout the day.
Photo by Jarod Gatley
https://www.nuggetnews.com/story/2026/07/29/news/firefighters-extend-lines-around-akawa-butte-fire/39348.html