Background
At the 2020 annual meeting, the single largest concern raised was the community’s readiness for a fire event similar to the devastating events occurring in California and Southern Oregon these past few years; and more recently in Deschutes River Woods and the most recent Bull Springs fire just outside of Bend. In response, the board engaged with a program called Firewise USA to begin the process of becoming a participating community.
Status
To date we have done the following:
- Met with local agencies to conduct an assessment of Sunrise Village (Completed November 15th, 2020);
- Formed a formal fire committee (See Introductory Letter in Resources Section below);
- Created an action plan based on the assessment (Completed April 2021 – See Document in Resources Section below);
- Hosted the first of several information nights (Completed February 11th, 2021) attended by 19 homeowners and led by Boone Zimmerlee from Deschutes County;
- And will once again provide the community with drop boxes in the lodge parking lot during Deschutes county’s Annual Fire Free Days (scheduled April 30th – May 16th, 2021)
Next Up
The Sunrise Village Firewise Committee will be assessing individual lots and proving info to each homeowner on how they can prepare their home to be ready when a wildfire occurs.
To get started, you may want to familiarize yourself with the resources provided in the next section
Resources
First, please take a moment to read this introductory letter from the SRV Fire Safety Committee.
Below are some of the important links and documents. This section will be updated regularly.
SRV 2021 Homeowner Wildfire Assessment Form
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Embers from a fire can travel up to one mile! If an ember lands on combustible vegetation or debris such as leaves, pine needles or brush on or near a home, it can start a fire. What you do at your home can protect you and your neighbors by stopping or slowing wildfires.Bend Fire & Rescue’s Own Your Zone Bend webpage outlines a few simple things to do to make a big difference. |
History
In 1990, several homes in Sunrise Village were lost during the Awbrey Hall Fire. An excellent video remembering the fire was produced during the 30th anniversary last year.
30 years later, Bend’s Awbrey Hall Fire leaves a legacy of prevention and planning.
Lastly, here’s a home video that was taken by a homeowner on 1st on the Hill across Century Drive which also saw homes lost during Awbrey Hall.