Wildfire Loss, a Dramatic Rescue & Changes Around Central Oregon From the Editor Today’s Buzz leads with a heartbreaking loss near Sisters: Wildhaven, the historic stone lodge and retreat, was destroyed by the Akawa Butte Fire. We’re also following two recent fire calls — including a Bend apartment fire where a private patrol officer helped get a sleeping resident to safety, and an RV fire east of Redmond that sent one person to the hospital.
Elsewhere around the region, Bend is getting a new Carhartt store, Greenwood Avenue traffic patterns are changing, and Furnish Hope is preparing to put furnishings from the former Shilo Inn back to work for local families. Redmond leaders are moving forward with a possible year-round fireworks ban, Sisters is bringing outdoor movies back to Fir Street Park, and a new homebuyer program is offering incentives to local “Hometown Heroes.” 🌲Sisters 🔥 Akawa Butte Fire Destroys Historic Wildhaven Retreat Wildhaven, the longtime retreat northeast of Sisters, was destroyed by the Akawa Butte Fire, leaving the property’s distinctive stone lodge and surrounding buildings in ruins. The loss hits especially hard because Wildhaven has been part of the area’s history and landscape for generations, tucked into the juniper country near the fire’s footprint.
The Akawa Butte Fire began in mid-July during a lightning outbreak and grew quickly under extreme fire conditions. Crews spent weeks building and strengthening containment lines around the blaze. The destruction at Wildhaven is one of the clearest reminders yet of how much this summer’s fires have changed places Central Oregonians have known for years. Read more → ⛑️Fire & Rescue News 🚨 Patrol Officer Helps Rescue Sleeping Woman from Bend Apartment Fire A private patrol officer on duty in Bend spotted smoke coming from an apartment and quickly moved to alert people inside. According to Bend Fire & Rescue, the officer’s actions helped get a woman who had been asleep inside the apartment out safely before firefighters arrived.
Crews extinguished the fire and investigated the cause. The close call is another example of how quickly a residential fire can develop — and how a few early minutes can make a major difference. Read more →
🔥 One Injured in East Redmond RV Fire Redmond Fire & Rescue responded to an RV fire east of Redmond that left one person injured. Firefighters arrived to find the recreational vehicle heavily involved and worked to knock down the flames and keep the fire from spreading.
The injured person was treated and transported for medical care. Officials continued working to determine what sparked the fire. Read more → ⛰️Bend 🛍️ Carhartt Plans First Central Oregon Store in Bend Carhartt is planning its first Central Oregon retail location, taking over the former Cracker Barrel building in north Bend. The move will bring the workwear brand into a large, highly visible space along Highway 20 near the Cascade Village area.
For shoppers who have been ordering Carhartt online or hunting for the brand at local retailers, the new store will offer a dedicated brick-and-mortar option. An opening date has not yet been announced. Read more →
🚗 Greenwood Avenue Traffic Pattern Is Changing Drivers on Greenwood Avenue will see another change to the corridor as Bend adjusts lane configurations following the recent transportation improvements. The city is modifying turn-lane access in an effort to improve traffic flow and reduce conflict points along the busy east-west route.
If Greenwood is part of your daily drive, expect the new pattern to take a little getting used to. Signs and pavement markings will guide drivers through the updated configuration. Read more →
🛏️ Furnish Hope Turns Shilo Inn Furnishings Into Help for Local Families Furnish Hope is working to recover furniture and household items from Bend’s former Shilo Inn so they can be given new life in the homes of Central Oregon families. The nonprofit provides essential furnishings to people transitioning out of homelessness, escaping domestic violence, recovering from disasters and facing other difficult circumstances.
The Shilo Inn project is a big one, and Furnish Hope says it needs plenty of hands to help move, sort and prepare the donated items. Instead of heading to a landfill, beds, tables and other usable pieces can now become part of someone’s fresh start. Read more → ✈️Redmond 🎆 Redmond Advances Year-Round Fireworks Ban Redmond city councilors have moved a proposed year-round fireworks ban another step forward after a Fourth of July weekend marked by multiple fire incidents. The discussion reflects growing concern about fireworks in a community surrounded by dry grass, juniper and other fast-burning fuels.
The proposal still has to move through the city’s formal approval process before becoming law. If adopted, it would significantly tighten when — or whether — consumer fireworks could be used inside Redmond city limits. Read more → 🌲Sisters 🎬 Outdoor Movies Return to Fir Street Park in Sisters Outdoor movie nights are returning to Sisters this August, bringing family-friendly films back to Fir Street Park. The summer series offers an easy excuse to grab a blanket or lawn chair and spend an evening downtown under the stars.
The screenings revive a community tradition that has been missed in recent years. Moviegoers should check the event details before heading out for individual film dates, start times and any weather-related updates. Read more → 🐝Central Oregon 🏡 Monte Vista Homes Launches 'Hometown Heroes' Buyer Program Monte Vista Homes has launched a new “Hometown Heroes” program offering homebuying incentives to people working in several community-service professions, including educators, healthcare workers and first responders.
With Central Oregon housing costs continuing to challenge buyers, the program is designed to reduce some of the upfront cost of buying a new home. Eligibility, participating homes and the value of available incentives vary, so interested buyers will want to review the program details directly with Monte Vista Homes. Read more → That’s the Buzz for today. Thanks for reading, looking out for your neighbors, and staying connected to what’s happening across Central Oregon. We’ll be back Friday with more local news, events and the full answer to this week’s trivia. | 
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