The Nugget Newspaper // Vol. XLIX No. 30 // 2026-07-29

The Nugget

By Jim Cornelius Editor in Chief

ORDEAL BY FIRE: A community under threat

kicked and swirled.

Sisters faced down a dragon on Wednesday, July 22.

The Akawa Butte Fire, which had started from a lightning strike on Thursday, July 16, had blown up by 6,000 acres overnight on July 21-22, and firefighters and local residents alike woke to doom-laden anticipation of a dangerous day to come. In the afternoon, a pyrocumulus cloud formed over the fire ahead of the arrival of forecasted thunderstorms. The cloud created its own weather system over the fire area; lightning spiked a blackening sky. The wind

Incident Command from Oregon Department of Forestry Complex Incident Management Team 2 reported that the fire made a big run to the south down Stevens Canyon and toward Sisters, as firefighters faced “extreme fire behavior due to critically dry fuels and gusty outflow winds from the afternoon thunderstorms [that] pushed the fire downhill toward Indian Ford and Wilt roads and ... crossed the Stevens Canyon Road. Firefighters encountered 150- to 200-foot flame lengths, requiring all resources to fall back on the south end of the fire and modify tactics to maintain firefighter

safety and protect structures.”

Witnesses repeatedly described the atmosphere as “apocalyptic.”

Fire and law enforcement personnel shared their awed and worried outlook.

“This fire is a mean one,” Incident Commander Matt Howard told those assembled at a community meeting at Sisters High School the next evening. “You don’t see fire behavior like that very often. It’s like Armageddon stuff.”

For a time, it looked like the fire might reach Highway 20 at the junction with Indian Ford Road. Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office emergency personnel ordered an

immediate evacuation of the Sage Meadow area and other rural subdivisions to the north of town. Traffic streamed down Camp Polk Road out of the fire area. A large number of evacuees came to the Red Cross Shelter established at Sisters High School.

For a dire hour or two, it looked like the fire would be unstoppable. IC Howard stated that he and colleagues believed “that fire was headed into town.” Two houses were confirmed lost in the Stevens Canyon area north of Sisters.

But the very thunderstorms that brought erratic winds and

OPINION

Letters to the Editor…

The Nugget welcomes contributions from its readers, which must include the writer’s name, address, and phone number. Letters to the Editor is an open forum for the community and contains unsolicited opinions not necessarily shared by the Editor. The Nugget reserves the right to edit, omit, respond, or ask for a response to letters submitted to the Editor. Letters should be no longer than 300 words. Unpublished items are not acknowledged or returned. The deadline for all letters is 10 a.m. Monday.

Trust, compassion, generosity

After we evacuated our home on July 22, a dear friend sent me this note. Her words held me steady through the long days away:

“The firefighters will continue to do their best to protect and fight this bugger, as nature does what nature does. You’ve done the hard physical work to prepare your home, now it’s time for the emotional work. The waiting. The trusting. Please be gentle with yourself and each other. Breathe deeply knowing the most important ‘things’ are not things. Most important is the lives you’ve lived and created.” Lisa R.

As this fire recedes, I echo her words with gratitude to everyone who stood with our community as wildfire loomed — neighbors, business owners, strangers who became helpers, and the firefighters and first responders who worked tirelessly to protect us.

Wildfire reminds us that preparation matters, but so does trust. May we continue the hard work of preparing our homes and landscapes while also nurturing the trust, compassion and generosity that sustain us when the unthinkable becomes real. In the end, what matters most is not what we own, but the lives we have lived and the community we create together.

Thank you all,

Leadership and community in the Akawa Butte Fire

By Jennifer Letz Sisters Mayor

Water conservation

To the Editor:

I wanted to address Bill Bartlett’s recent article titled “Does Sisters have enough water?” (The Nugget, July 15, page 1.)

While I appreciated the information that we have ample clean water (we are blessed!), I was deeply disappointed that there was zero mention of simple conservation measures of which we should all be practicing. Examples include: Choosing low-water landscaping; irrigating thoughtfully and at night; routinely checking for leaks both within and outside our homes; and using tools other than water to clean decks, patios, and driveways to name a few.

Conservation of water should be included in any conversation surrounding water use in Central Oregon, in my opinion. The indisputable fact is that we live in a desert and water supplies are not bottomless, especially, as mentioned, with the growth we are accommodating and droughts we are experiencing.

I hope my submission will supplement the unfortunate lack of information on water conservation in this recent article.

Tracy Erfling,

Kristan and Scott Collins s

ND

Sisters Weather Forecast

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As I was sitting in the Akawa Butte Fire cooperators meeting for the eighth day in a row, I took a look around the room at all the faces and felt overwhelmed with gratitude. In the room (and on zoom) were dozens of people working selflessly to achieve a unified set of goals: keep crews and citizens safe, protect property, and put this fire out.

Some of these people were new to me, like members of the Oregon Department of Forestry incident management team and representatives of the two electric utilities in the region.

Others, I recognized from the Flat Fire, like members of the Oregon State Fire Marshal’s team who returned to Sisters after a short 11 months. Lucky to have them and their intimate knowledge of our terrain, resources, and partners.

Others I’ve gotten to know in my tenure on city council. Colleagues from the Deschutes and Jefferson County Sheriff’s Offices, ODOT, and the Sisters Ranger District. The field representatives for our three members of Congress, and the occasional County Commissioner and Oregon Legislator. Those from the Sisters School District, Red Cross, Deschutes Land Trust, and City of Sisters staff members and Councilors. Leadership from our fire districts. And on a few special days, the Chief of the Oregon State Fire Marshal’s Office and the State Forester.

And then there are those I go way back with, like old colleagues of my husband in the structural and wildfire worlds, and the Deschutes Forest Supervisor I worked with over 15 years ago.

I am not here to name drop. Rather, I felt compelled to share two

important messages based on these new and seasoned relationships.

The first is simply to highlight the vast number of organizations coming together every day to share intel, offer up resources, and keep everyone safe. Many of us only see the fire trucks drive down Cascade or a couple incident team members in the morning briefing videos. Yet there are dozens of people not only from our town but from all across the state working long hours behind the scenes to make this incident operate as smoothly as possible.

The second — and most important — point is there isn’t one of these people I wouldn’t trust to do their job, follow through with their promise, and work their hardest to protect our community and everything we love about Sisters. I’ve watched these people day after day, year after year, show up and lean in. The magnitude of cooperation occurring every day is truly amazing.

Our news is flooded with stories of leaders putting their desires before the welfare of “we the people.” But in this moment of hardship, please take my word that our leaders and professionals are digging deep and working overtime for you. I haven’t even touched on all the fantastic organizations and neighbors out there helping take care of each other outside the incident command system. Emergencies also require helping hands and shoulders to cry on, and I’m touched by all the stories of selfless assistance I’m hearing. And, of course, a huge thank you to all the crews doing the real work in the ash and smoke.

I’m so sorry we have to go through this again, but I’m damn proud of the people and partners we have in this community. I hope you are, too.

A DAY IN FIRE TOWN

The temporary home of 1,000+ people

fighting Akawa Butte Fire

By

A large wildfire fire camp is unlike anything most people have ever seen. Rising almost overnight at the Sisters Rodeo grounds last week, a temporary city was erected dedicated to a single purpose: supporting the men and women battling the Akawa Butte Fire. Housing more than 1,000 firefighters and support personnel, it operates with the precision of a military base, yet can be dismantled within days once the fire is contained.

Most firefighters sleep in small backpacking tents they bring with them, pitching them in neat rows across usual parking fields. Others sleep in crew carriers, pickup campers, travel trailers, or recreational vehicles. Accommodations are simple.

After returning from an exhausting shift on the fire

line, crews shower, eat, prepare equipment for the next day, and crawl into sleeping bags for a few precious hours of rest before rising again to resume the attack.

The Nugget spent time Saturday with one of the nearly 100 crews battling the blaze. They are neighbors in bordering Linn County. Crews from as far away as 1,000 miles were in the fight.

Ryan Paul, Josh Marvin, and Coury Gagne from the Sweet Home Fire came with an engine. Team Leader Battalion Chief Erin Nunes was in her engine from Lebanon Fire. They were supported by a dozen-strong hand crew, mostly paid but some volunteers.

The Nugget asked what was different about this fire from the many they have engaged.

“Just how dry things are,” Paul said. “We usually don’t see ground conditions like

this until August.

“The fire’s behavior has been more unpredictable,” he added.

Gagne was “surprised by the number of resources brought in from California and Washington. It shows how thin we are spread in Oregon right now.”

This team was tasked with structure protection, the frontline defense for homes trapped in the fire’s path. Nunes said they had been working the area of Wilt and Indian Ford Roads, going door to door to harden homes.

“We clear brush, remove hazards, move log piles… whatever we can do to make the home more defendable.”

She noted a number of homeowners refused to evacuate.

“We can’t force them to leave,” she said. “It’s their right to stay.”

Akawa Butte Fire — how you can help

By Kellen Klein Correspondent

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 www.wild fire.oregon.gov/recovery for guidance on how to get support, safely return home, and more.

Support fire victims

• Donate to regional

How to support wildlife during fire season

As summer heats up, wildfire season is back in Central Oregon, with wildfires throughout the state causing evacuations, poor air quality, and concerns around life and property.

Think Wild, Central Oregon’s wildlife hospital and conservation center, is answering questions around how wildfires affect Oregon wildlife, and how people can help.

Oregon’s native species are adapted to forest fires, but that doesn’t mean that many won’t suffer or

SISTERS AREA MEETING CALENDAR

BOARDS, GROUPS, CLUBS

Al -Anon

Mon., noon, Shepherd of t he Hills Lutheran Church. 5 41-610 -7383. Alcoholics Anonymous

Monday, 5 p.m., Shepherd of t he Hills

Lutheran Church • Tuesday, noon, Big Book study, Shepherd of t he Hills Lutheran Church • Wednesday, 7 a.m.,G entlemen’s meeting, Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church • Thursday, noon, Sober Sisters Women’s meeting, Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church

Thursday, 7 p.m., Episc opal Church of the Transf iguration • Fr iday, noon, Step & Tradition meeting, Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church. 5 41-5 48 -0 440. Saturday, 8 a.m., Episc opal Church of the Transf iguration • Sunday, 7 p.m., Episcopal Church of the Transfiguration Bible Study for All Thursdays, 6:3 0 p.m. at The Lodge. 5 41-233 -618 9.

Central Oregon F ly Tyers Guild

For Saturday meeting dates and loc ation, email: steelef ly@msn.c om Central Oregon Trail Alliance (COTA) Sisters Chapter meets monthly for a meeting, group bike ride, or event. Contact sistersrep@cotamtb.com for info.

Ci tizens4Communit y C ommunity

Builders meeting, 3rd Wednesday of ever y mont h, 10 to 11:30 a.m. V isit

citizens 4c ommunity.c om for loc ation.

Council on Aging of Cen tral O regon

Senior Lunch In- person community dining, Tues. 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Grab -and -go lunch Tues., Wed., Thurs 12:3 0 to 1 p.m. Sisters C ommunity Church. 5 41-4 8 0-18 43 East of the Cascades Quilt Guild 4th Wed. (September- June), Stitchin’ Post . A ll are welcome. 5 41-5 49 -6 061.

Go Fish Fishing G roup

3rd Monday, 7 p.m., Siste rs C ommunity Church. 5 41-771-2 211.

Hear twarmers (f leec e blanketmaker s) 2nd Tuesday, 1 p.m., Siste rs Communit y Church. M ater ials provided. 541- 408 -8 505.

Hero Q uilters of Sisters

Thursday, 1 to 4 p.m. 5 41-6 68 -1755

Living Well W ith Dementia Sisters

Care Par tner Suppor t Group. 2nd & 4th Weds., 1-2:30 p.m. Siste rs Community Recreation Center. 5 41-588 -0547.

Mili tary Parent s of Sisters Meetings are held quarter ly; please c all 5 41-388 -9 013.

Oregon Band of Brothers Sisters Chapter meets Wednesda ys, 11:30 a.m., Takoda’s Restaurant. 5 41-5 49 -6 469.

Sisters Aglow Lighthouse 4th Saturday, 10 a.m., m eeting by Zoom. 503- 93 0- 6158

Sisters Area Photography Club 2nd Wednesday, 3:3 0 p.m., at Sisters Communit y Church. 5 41-5 49 -6157.

Sisters Area Woodworkers First Tuesday, 7 to 9 p.m. 5 41-231-18 97

Sisters Bridge C lub Thursdays, 12:30 p.m. at Sisters C ommunity Church. Email sistersb ridge2021@gmail.com.

Sisters Caregi ver Suppor t G roup 2nd & 4t h Weds., 1-2:30 p.m. Siste rs Rec. Communit y Center. 5 41-588 -0547. (Meets with Living W ell With Dementia Sisters)

Sisters Cribbage C lub Wednesdays, 11 a.m. at T he Lodge, 411 E. Car penter L ane. 5 09 -9 47-574 4.

Sisters Garden C lub For monthly meetings visit: SistersGardenClub.com.

Sisters Habitat for Humanit y Board of D irectors 4th Tuesday, 4:3 0 p.m.

Location infor mation: 5 41-5 49 -1193.

Sisters Kiwanis 1st & 3rd Wednesdays, 11:3 0 a.m. to 1 p.m., at SPR D in Sisters 541- 632- 3663

Sisters Parent Teacher Communit y 2nd Tuesday, 6 p.m. at Sisters Element ar y School Commons. 9 17-219 -8298

Sisters Rotary 1st and 3rd Tuesdays, Noon to 1 p.m., at SPR D. 5 41-760 -5 64 5.

Sisters Veterans no- host lunch, Thursdays, noon, Takoda’s Rest aurant. All veterans welcome, 5 41-241-6 56 3.

Sisters Trail s Alliance Board M eetings take p lac e every other month, 5 p.m. In -person or zoom. Contact: info@ sisterstrails.org.

Songwriters Sharing Circl e All ages welcome. 2nd Wednesday 6 p.m., at The Hub, 5 41-977-8 49 4.

Three Sister s Irrigation Distric t Board of D irectors M eets 2nd Tuesday, 10 a.m., TSID Off ic e. 5 41-9 03 -405 0.

Three Sister s Lions Club 3rd Thursday, 6:3 0 p.m., Spoons Rest aurant. 5 41-410 -739 0.

VF W Post 813 8 and A merican Legion Post 8 6 1st Wednesday of the month, 6:30 p.m., The Hub, 291 E. M ain Ave. sistersveterans@gmail. com.

SCHOOLS

Black But te School Boa rd of D irectors 2nd Tuesday, 3:3 0 p.m. 5 41-595 -6203. See schedule www.blackbutte.k12.or.us/

Sisters School District Board of Directors O ne Wednesday m onthly, Sisters School District Administr ation Building. See schedule at www.ssd 6.org. 541- 549-8 521 x5 002.

lose their lives. Wildfires cause immediate habitat loss and potential die-offs, and they change ecosystem structure for years to come. Some species that depend on mature forests — tree cavity-nesting owls, for example — may experience population reductions while those that thrive in young forests, like songbirds and burrowing mammals, may increase.

In the short term, with the severity and scale of

CITY & PARKS

Sisters Ci ty Council 2nd & 4t h Wednesday, 6:3 0 p.m., Siste rs Cit y Hall 541- 549- 6022

Sisters

Sisters

FIRE

POLICE

What fire statistics actually mean

By Bill Bartlett Correspondent

Two numbers dominate every wildfire update: how many acres have burned, and what percentage is contained. Both sound precise. Neither is as exact as it seems, and the Akawa Butte Fire burning north of Sisters is a working illustration of why.

The blaze, sparked by lightning, was estimated at roughly 3,200 acres in its first days. Within about 72 hours it had grown past 10,000 acres. By Tuesday night it had jumped again, adding more than 5,000 acres in a single overnight push, and by Saturday fire officials were reporting more than 26,000 acres burned. Some of that growth reflects the fire actually spreading. Some of it, on any wildfire, reflects better information replacing rough guesses.

Early acreage figures typically come from visual estimates by engine crews, helicopter pilots, and air attack supervisors sizing up a fire in its first hours. As an incident grows, GIS (Geographic Information System) specialists take over, using GPS (Global Positioning System) tracks, infrared flights, and satellite or drone imagery to draw a precise digital perimeter. Infrared mapping, often flown at night, is considered especially reliable because it can detect heat through smoke.

The acreage figure reported to the public is whatever falls inside that mapped line which is why fire size can occasionally appear to shrink from one day to the next. The fire didn’t get smaller. The map got better.

Containment is the more misunderstood number, and Akawa Butte Fire shows exactly how. For days, from around July 20 through July 23, fire officials held the containment estimate at three percent, even as the fire’s footprint roughly doubled and then doubled again, ultimately exceeding 27,000 acres.

By Saturday, containment had edged up to only about five percent. That is not a sign of a fire under control. It’s the arithmetic of a moving target: containment is calculated as the length of secured control line divided by the fire’s total perimeter. If the perimeter is expanding faster than crews can dig lines, cut dozer breaks, or tie into roads and rivers, the percentage can stay flat or barely move for days even as the fire itself grows dramatically.

Containment also doesn’t mean a fire is out, or even under control in the everyday sense. It means fire managers

believe a secured line is unlikely to be crossed. Akawa Butte Fire has shown how fluid that judgment can be.

A pyrocumulus cloud that formed over the fire generated its own lightning and winds, pushing flames toward roads that had been considered part of the containment strategy and forcing crews to fall back and adjust tactics. Evacuation orders have expanded and shifted through the week even as containment lines were being built, because a secured line on one flank says nothing about fire behavior on another.

The containment percentage itself isn’t produced by a formula alone: it’s a professional judgment made by division supervisors, operations chiefs, and fire behavior analysts, then approved by the incident commander, based on fuels, weather, and the likelihood a line will hold.

For readers trying to gauge real risk from a fire like Akawa Butte, the acreage number answers one question: how much ground has burned. Containment answers a different one: how much of the fire’s edge crews consider secure. Neither, on its own, says whether a fire is getting more or less dangerous. That’s usually a better question for fire behavior forecasts, red flag warnings, and evacuation levels, than for the two statistics that make the headlines.

Thanks to National Wildfire Coordinating Group for assistance with this story.

Combat veteran shares inspiration

Combat veteran and author Jenn Donahue will present her new book “Becoming the Warrior: Harnessing Your Inner Strength to Silence Self-Doubt” at Paulina Springs Books on Thursday, August 6, at 6:30 p.m.

Donahue draws from her experiences on the battlefield to build a framework that helps readers combat their inner critics, achieve their goals, and uncover the warrior within them.

We all have dreams that may seem too risky or bold. Imposter syndrome, the fear of failure, self-doubt, and even the fear of success hold us back from trying to achieve them. Instead, we listen to the voices of intuition and instinct, the ones that tell us to put off the dream for one more year, that we’ll never succeed anyway, and that we just don’t have enough time, money, or resources to get there. These voices keep us safe from failure but prevent success.

As a combat veteran and entrepreneur, Jenn Donahue knows how these voices can take over, and what happens when they do. After a demoralizing tour in Afghanistan, Jenn wondered if she would ever bounce back and be the confident leader she once was. A dark season of self-doubt made way for a season of soul-searching and psychological research,

which ultimately led Jenn to develop a groundbreaking four-part framework inspired by her training in the Navy and combat’s rules of engagement. The framework is designed to move those who feel stuck and afraid to feeling equipped to take action with courage. Now, in her debut book, Jenn is sharing her Warrior Framework with anyone who is tired of feeling stuck, tired of feeling like a failure, and who knows, deep down, there is a stronger version of herself waiting to be awakened — a Warrior.

Jenn Donahue, PhD, PE

is an international keynote speaker, retired U.S. Navy captain, business coach, and one of America’s leading experts on leadership and personal growth. Her mission is to walk alongside leaders, quiet the voices holding them back, and show them how to become the leaders they were meant to be. Because leadership isn’t about the spotlight—it’s about service, courage, and building others up.

Over her 27-year military career, Jenn built a bridge across the Euphrates River during the Iraq War, commanded an eight-hundred-personnel battalion in Afghanistan, and led the construction of combat outposts in hostile desert terrain.

Paulina Springs Books is located at 252 W. Hood Ave.

Art walk pivots to fifth Friday, July 31

Sisters Arts Association is pivoting to a Fifth Friday Artwalk this Friday, July 31, in response to public safety issues caused by the Akawa Butte Fire.

The decision to postpone the monthly Artwalk was necessary, since many businesses in Sisters and most galleries in town were already closed or open on a limited schedule when the fire caused hundreds of residents to evacuate their homes and others getting ready to leave. So, on July’s Fifth Friday, galleries will be open all day and featured artists and refreshments will take the stage at 4 p.m.

“Last Friday was just the wrong time to celebrate art and artists,” said Chris Nelson of Wildflower Studio. “There were just more important issues at hand. Hopefully we will be far enough out from this, and everybody can get together when we are safe and not so worried.”

Wildflower features new watercolors and tiles by Kathy Deggendorfer.

Karen Thomas, owner of Toriizaka Art, said, “Our featured artist, Don Zylius, evacuated to La Pine, but he will be back this Friday, to demonstrate his wet-wash watercolor, techniques.” Don is widely recognized for rich detail, natural color and evocative moods in his paintings.

The Stitchin’ Post’s Fiber Art Gallery displays “Printed Then Stitched,” a digital and manual fiber art show by Sharon Carvalho, who created textiles from her own photographs and art then printed them on linen, quilted and embellished them by hand.

Hood Avenue Art focuses on four artists: potter Susan Yokoyama, painters Ruth Carroll and Layne Cook, and jeweler Annie Hinkes.

Rickards Gallery is hosting landscape painter David Mensing and mosaic glass artist Mare Schelz.

Sisters Gallery and Frame explores wildlife with images by several gallery artists including Danae Miller, Randall Tillery, Jennifer Hartwig, Barbara Berry, and Skip Armstrong. Jewelry maker Timber Lark will demonstrate his delicate pendants and earrings.

The Campbell Gallery continues to show exquisite quilts by Sisters artists Helen Brisson and Judith Beaver, but may not be open, depending on Adams Avenue construction.

Novel explores love, family, second chances

After the successful launch of her debut novel “The Color of Home (2024),” Sisters author Kit Tosello returns with another heartwarming tale in “In a Word, Yes.”

Navigating the everyday realities of family and relationships with authenticity and heart, Tosello crafts a story about second chances, emotional healing, and the courage to say yes to love and faith. Fans of contemporary romance will find much to love in this relatable and hopeful narrative.

Sisters Clay Collective, the first Makers Studio to join SAA, will also be open, featuring live demonstrations, class, and workshop opportunities.

Beyond the galleries, check out the work of local artists on Sisters Artwalls, various non-gallery locations including The Barn, Fika, Sisters Bakery, and The Hub. For more information visit Sistersartsassociation.org. New members are always welcome, and you do not need to be an artist in order to join.

Five years ago, Lucy Montgomery rebuilt her life from the ground up. After her marriage fell apart, she relocated to the small Pacific Northwest town of Charity Falls, Oregon, with her brilliantly unique autistic son. She’s created a safe, predictable world where boundaries protect her and risk stays at arm’s length. Her default answer to anything outside her comfort zone? A hard no.

Working quietly at the local newspaper, Lucy has perfected the art of staying invisible. But everything shifts when Wyatt Hayes enters her life—a

warmhearted police officer with a poet’s soul and genuine kindness. He sees past her defenses and wants to help her step into a fuller, braver life.

Meanwhile, Lucy’s mother, Carly Montgomery — a beloved women’s Bible study leader — appears to have it all together. But beneath her polished exterior lies a restless weariness. Always in motion to outrun her regrets, she’s kept her daughter at a distance and missed precious years with her grandson. Is it too late to change?

As Lucy and Wyatt navigate new love, and Lucy and Carly work to restore their fractured bond, both relationships will require the courage to be vulnerable and the willingness to say yes to what matters most.

With her signature blend of tenderness and humor, Kit Tosello explores the messy, beautiful work of family, the courage it takes to love again, and the faith required to reconcile what’s been broken.

Kit Tosello is an award-winning writer of small-town contemporary fiction with a big heart, as well as inspirational essays and devotionals. With her eye trained on the beauty hiding in plain sight all around us, she arranges words with tenderness, humor, and hope. When not writing, Kit can be found in Suttle Tea, the loose-leaf tea shop she operates with her husband, exploring the great Pacific Northwest, or enjoying the “great indoors” — bookstores and libraries. Often while sipping a matcha latte.

Learn more at www. KitTosello.com.

What it takes to battle a big fire

By Jim Cornelius Editor in Chief

As of press time, the Akawa Butte Fire had burned more than 27,000 acres north of Sisters, and firefighting resources assigned to the blaze had grown tremendously as the fire was assigned number-one priority in the nation.

Earlier in the week, the incident already had roughly 690 personnel, 19 hand crews, 34 engines, 13 bulldozers, 11 water tenders, and nine helicopters working it. It’s a scale that illustrates just how much specialized equipment it takes to fight a large wildfire.

On the ground, most of that force is built around wildland engines, which look a little like a city fire truck. Built for rough terrain rather than pavement, they range from the nimble Type 7 brush truck, crewed by two firefighters for quick initial attack, up through Type 3 engines, which carry three to five firefighters, several hundred gallons of water, highpressure pumps, chainsaws and hand tools for extended attack.

The most common federal engine is the Type 6, built on a heavy-duty pickup chassis small enough to reach narrow forest roads.

Water tenders — sometimes still called tankers — haul 2,000 to 4,000 gallons at a time to refill engines and portable tanks in areas without hydrants, a critical job on a rural fire like Akawa Butte where water sources are scattered.

Bulldozers, often Caterpillar D6s or D7s, do some of the most visible work of any large fire: scraping vegetation down to bare mineral soil to build firelines, at a rate of roughly half a mile to two miles per hour depending on terrain. Each dozer typically works with a “swamper,” a firefighter on foot with a chainsaw who clears obstacles and helps guide the operator.

Hand crews make up the bulk of personnel on an incident this size. Type 2 crews build firelines, patrol containment lines and assist with mop-up and structure protection; work that’s been described repeatedly in updates on Akawa Butte’s structure task forces triaging

homes along roads like Wilt Road and Indian Ford Road.

Type 1 Hotshot crews, 20-firefighter teams trained for the toughest assignments, handle initial attack, burnout operations, and remote terrain, often working 16-hour shifts for two to three weeks straight.

In the air, helicopters are grouped by size. Type 1 heavy-lift helicopters, such as a Sikorsky Skycrane, can drop up to roughly 2,650 gallons in a single pass. Type 2 medium helicopters carry 300 to 700 gallons, while light Type 3 helicopters handle reconnaissance, small bucket drops, and crew transport.

Fixed-wing air tankers add another layer. Very large air tankers like a converted DC-10 can carry up to about 9,400 gallons of retardant. Large air tankers such as a C-130 or BAe146 carry roughly 2,000 to 4,000 gallons. Single-engine air tankers are typically reserved for faster initial-attack work on smaller or more remote fires. Coordinating it all from above is an Air Attack aircraft, a fixed-wing plane that drops nothing itself but functions as an airborne command post directing tankers and helicopters, maintaining separation, and communicating with crews below. Lead planes fly ahead of air tankers to scout terrain and mark drop paths, while separate reconnaissance aircraft fly infrared missions to map the perimeter and feed that data to planning

staff building each day’s strategy.

Behind the visible equipment sits a layer most people never see: communications units, mobile weather stations, GIS (Geographic Information System) mapping trucks, fuel and repair trucks, medical units, and food, shower and laundry trailers supporting what can become a temporary community of well over a thousand personnel. National estimates suggest a wildfire near 25,000 acres –close to where Akawa Butte stood by midweek – typically draws 40 to 70 engines, a dozen or so bulldozers, up to two dozen hand crews, several helicopters and air tankers, and 500 to 1,500 total personnel. Akawa Butte’s numbers, and this week’s resource increase, track closely with that pattern.

Managing a complex fire incident

By Bill Bartlett Correspondent

Who has been in charge of fighting the Akawa Butte Fire?

The short answer is Matt Howard of Oregon Department of Forestry and Ian Yocum of the Oregon State Fire Marshal’s office. Howard retired as Northeast Oregon District Forester and is a 40-year wildfire veteran. He continues to lend his expertise during fire season. Yocum is a 20-plus year professional firefighter who serves as Interim Chief of Amity Fire District.

As Sisters coped with flames at our doorstep, readers ask how the Akawa Butte Fire is managed, particularly with 1,500 firefighters and other personnel, and hundreds of pieces of equipment including aircraft, massive earth moving machines, and all manner of engines and tenders, some arriving from hundreds of miles away.

It usually starts with a call to 911. Someone has spotted smoke.

Within minutes, a dispatcher works to pin down the fire’s location, its size, what’s burning, whether structures are threatened, and how the wind is moving. That information goes to whichever agency holds jurisdiction — a local fire department, the Forest Service, the Bureau of Land Management, a state forestry agency, or a tribal fire department. The closest engines, crews, and water tenders are sent out.

The question driving everything at this stage is simple: Can the fire be stopped before it grows?

The first officer to arrive automatically becomes Incident Commander, a role that can fall to an engine captain, a battalion chief, or a district ranger depending on who gets there first. Their initial radio report, known in the field as a “size-up,” sets

the tone for everything that follows: a quick account of the fire’s size, behavior, and threat, along with the command name for the incident.

From there, the commander has to decide almost immediately where crews will attack the fire, where vehicles will stage, what the escape routes and safety zones are, and whether more help like aircraft, hand crews, or bulldozers need to be ordered.

If local resources can knock the fire down that day, they do. If not, the incident moves into what’s known as extended attack, and the command structure begins to grow with it.

That growth follows a framework called the Incident Command System, which distributes responsibility across specialized sections rather than concentrating decisions in one person. An Operations Section takes charge of the crews, engines, aircraft, and dozers actually fighting the fire, typically dividing the ground into geographic divisions, each with its own supervisor.

A Planning Section works a step ahead, gathering weather forecasts, infrared mapping, and fire-behavior modeling to build the Incident Action Plan that guides the next day’s work. Logistics keeps the operation supplied. Food, fuel, water, medical support, even portable toilets and generators employed for what can effectively become a small city of firefighters.

And a Finance Section tracks the cost, which on a major fire can run into the millions of dollars per day once aircraft contracts, equipment rentals, and payroll are added up.

Two additional roles carry outsized authority. A Safety Officer can halt operations outright if conditions such as falling snags, shifting weather, fatigue, or aircraft conflicts become too dangerous. And a Public Information

Officer becomes the fire’s main point of contact with residents, media, and elected officials, issuing evacuation notices, containment percentages and road closures as the incident evolves.

As a fire grows large enough, command itself often changes hands, passing from the local officer who first responded to a more experienced Incident Commander from a regional or national team.

At that point, the commander is no longer directing individual firefighters but making broader strategic calls: setting priorities, coordinating with local governments, and managing public safety across an incident that may involve hundreds or thousands of personnel.

Above the incident itself, coordination happens at a regional level through Geographic Coordination Centers, regional hubs that track every active fire, along with available crews, aircraft, and weather conditions, and decide where scarce resources should go when multiple fires compete for them.

At the top of the system sits the National Interagency Coordination Center in Boise which oversees the movement of firefighting resources across the entire country during severe fire seasons, weighing which fires threaten lives, communities, or infrastructure most urgently.

Aircraft are managed as a system of their own, with an Air Attack Supervisor functioning much like an air traffic controller, coordinating lead planes, air tankers, helicopters, and reconnaissance flights while staying in constant contact with ground operations.

Whether a wildfire burns for a single afternoon or stretches across a season, the goal of the system is the same: Every firefighter answers to one supervisor,

and every level of command, from the first engine on scene to the coordination center in Boise, has a clearly defined role, allowing the response to scale from a single truck to a

multi-agency operation without losing a unified chain of command.

Thanks to Oregon Department of Forestry and NICC for help in this story.

Health officials warn of smoke risks that build up

By Bill Bartlett Correspondent

As much of Central Oregon burns, Sisters Country is experiencing another round of periodically smoky skies.

Public health officials are renewing warnings about a pollutant that’s easy to see but harder to fully appreciate: fine particulate matter, 2.5 PPM (parts per million), a seemingly small but potentially deadly amount found in wildfire smoke.

These microscopic particles, found in wildfire smoke, are small enough to penetrate deep into the lungs and pass into the bloodstream. How much harm they cause depends on three factors: how concentrated the smoke is, how long a person is exposed to it, and individual susceptibility, including age, pregnancy, and underlying health conditions.

The primary tool for tracking that risk is the Air Quality Index, or AQI, which translates pollutant levels into a 0-to-500 scale. At 0 to 50, air quality is considered good, with little or no risk. Between 51 and 100, sensitive individuals may notice mild symptoms during prolonged outdoor activity. The AQI in Sisters exceeded 250 several hours last week.

Once the index climbs past 100, healthy people can begin to feel effects too –coughing, throat and eye irritation, and asthma flare-ups. Above 150, everyone may experience symptoms, and

outdoor exercise should be limited. Beyond 300, conditions are classified as hazardous, with the entire population at risk and indoor filtered air recommended.

Duration matters as much as concentration. A single smoky day might bring a scratchy throat, burning eyes, or a mild headache. A week of exposure above an AQI of 150 can bring persistent coughing, reduced lung capacity, and sleep disturbances. Multi-day exposure above 200 has been linked to rising hospital admissions, elevated blood pressure, increased inflammation, and a higher risk of heart attack in susceptible people. Even healthy adults may notice reduced exercise capacity. Anyone who must go outside during heavy smoke should wear a well-fitted N95 respirator; cloth masks don’t adequately filter fine particles. Strenuous outdoor exercise should be scaled back once the AQI passes 100, and avoided altogether above 150.

The Nugget asked Dr. Ian Smith, pulmonologist at St. Charles Health Systems, if N95 masks, in fact, helped to fight off the smoke. “In short, they are quite effective,” he said. “N95 masks protect against 95% of particulate matter in the atmosphere and are an important tool, especially for those who may be at higher risk — children, elderly, pregnant individuals, and those with underlying heart, lung, and kidney conditions.”

We asked if exertion outdoors such as exercise or physical labor increases risk? “Yes,” Smith replied. “When we exert ourselves, our lungs are bringing in more air, and therefore the lungs and other organs are exposed to considerably more particulate matter.

“Sitting at rest outside for 30 minutes is much less impactful than jogging outside for 30 minutes, for instance. High intensity exercise can cause up to a 20-fold increase in the amount of air flowing through the lungs compared to breathing while at rest.”

Researchers are still studying the long-term consequences of repeated, seasonal smoke exposure, a subject with particular relevance in places like Central Oregon, where wildfire seasons have become a near-annual event. Early evidence suggests that years of recurring exposure may raise the risk of chronic bronchitis, accelerated lung function decline, heart disease, and stroke. Children, whose lungs are still developing, may be especially vulnerable to lasting effects.

Certain groups face the greatest risk during any smoke event: adults over 65, infants and children, pregnant women, people with asthma, COPD, or heart disease, those with diabetes, and outdoor workers.

Wildland firefighters face some of the heaviest exposures of all. Seasonal studies have documented temporary reductions in lung function

and elevated inflammation markers over a fire season, along with higher cumulative exposure to carbon monoxide and PM2.5 than the general public experiences. Most healthy firefighters recover once the season ends, though repeated years of exposure may contribute to chronic respiratory disease.

Health officials recommend a familiar set of precautions when smoke settles in: stay indoors with windows and doors closed, run a HEPA air cleaner or a home HVAC system with a high-efficiency filter, and avoid other indoor pollution sources such as candles, wood stoves, or vacuuming without a HEPA filter.

The bottom line, officials say, is that most healthy adults can weather a short bout of wildfire smoke without lasting harm, even if it’s uncomfortable in the moment. But as smoke thickens and lingers, particularly across multiple days above an AQI of 200, the risks grow for everyone, and rise sharply for older adults, children, pregnant people, and those with existing heart or lung disease.

Karen Kassy wrote:

“A heartfelt thank you to everyone who donated to Think Wild/Beaver Works to support beaver restoration and healthy habitat.

“Beavers are a keystone species whose dams help store water, improve wildlife habitat, and can even reduce wildfire risk by keeping landscapes wetter.

“Thanks to your generosity, the fundraiser at Eurosports Bikes, Beer, Skis, Foodcarts, Fun raised $873 — more than a onethird increase over the 2024 fundraiser!

“Special thanks to the band Mortal Soulstice, featuring Kevin Tanski and Sisters’ own Chris Brown, for coming up with and organizing the fundraiser idea and generously donating their time and talent to perform. Everyone’s support helps make a lasting difference for Central Oregon’s wildlife and landscapes.”

The level people Roundabout SISTERS

Bill Bartlett Columnist

What a week! And it’s far from over. It may take winter snows to extinguish the Akawa Butte Fire fully. Emotions are running high, understandably. Even those who appear to be shrugging it off are deep inside probably feeling a level of anxiety of which they’re unaware.

The range of feelings runs from anger to confusion to depression and everywhere in between. Just look at social media if you want an armchair look into people’s psyche. (See related commentary, page 19.)

Much of the fear, anxiety, and depression stems from uncertainty. It’s further exacerbated by misinformation and rumor. Yet, throughout it, a deep sense of community pours through town in ways too many to count here.

Weirdly we’ve become the level people — one, two, or three — as we meet and greet, especially strangers introduced for the first time. Kind of a way to instantly bond and empathize.

Gratitude.

That seems to be universally felt, often at a visceral gut level. Just look at the hundreds of handmade signs hung or posted throughout Sisters Country telling our firefighters how appreciative we are for their Herculaneum efforts.

“I just break down and cry every time I see a fire truck roll through town or when I meet one of the firefighters at Ray’s or Bi-Mart,” Pam Crenshaw (Level 2) said as she wiped away tears having just hugged three burly firemen from California at Sisters Coffee.

Empathy.

“I’m a one and I can’t imagine being a three,” said Boyd Turnquist. “I don’t pray much, but I’m trying.”

Anger and frustration.

Why don’t they just… fill in the blanks. You don’t have to go very far to hear some folks being critical of the fight. “Why don’t they use more planes?” “Why don’t they work more on the Sisters side?” “Why don’t they let us back in?” And, so on and on, as second-guessing the professionals somehow salves their fear.

Would any of them trade places and join a hand crew?

Jump out of an airplane?

Compassion.

Janet Unger drove from Wilsonville with her 10-horse trailer. Nobody asked her to come. No call went out. “I knew there would be a bunch of ‘three’ people with horses and it seemed like I should just hitch up and go,” she told folks up and down North Pine Street as she helped shepherd their stock to safety.

Sharing.

Nothing like a pig roast to take the edge off. On Friday, Lazy Z Ranch Wines hosted a festive roast by Luckey’s Woodsman in support of their Hold The Line Fund, which provides free meals for first responders and evacuees from Sisters’ fires. Dozens of folks turned out to the pay-what-you-can donation event. “It was so encouraging to see so many from the community show up and support one another like that,” said Bill Kelly who bought a pile of pork for his family tacos carnitas night.

Relief.

The Red Cross and

Salvation Army have teamed up to provide meals and shelter for around 100 persons per night at Sisters High School. About 30 are on cots inside, many with their pets, in dormitory-style beds, and another 60 to 70 are parked, most with RVs, on the school’s vast lot.

“Yep, we’re all threes,” a band of four clustered campers told me jokingly, making the best of a bad situation. They were all strangers to one another until they rolled up to school Tuesday night. Now they were sharing cooking, running to town for resupply, and generally lifting each other’s spirits.

There have been many cancellations of events including the 4th Friday Art Walk, the C4C 10th Anniversary Celebration, the Sisters Kiwanis Hoodoo Challenge, Sunday’s Farmers Market — all erring on the side of caution. Those were downers for many

with some folks expressing bewilderment.

“We need things to remain as they were,” lamented Doug Craine, a one. “With all this angst, it’d be good for all the stores to stay open and things to go on as normal.”

Indeed, many shops were reducing hours or closing altogether.

“Nobody’s shopping except for groceries,” I heard repeatedly.

On the flip side, weddings and birthday parties went on as planned. Sort of a fork in the Akawa dragon’s eye.

An evacuation order often hits as an acute trauma, replacing ordinary life within minutes with fear and the threat of losing homes, pets, or loved ones. Evacuees often speak of helplessness as they raced to gather belongings while flames close in.

The evacuation itself compounds the distress.

Traffic jams, unpredictable fire behavior, and unclear escape routes strip people of control. Even once safe, many remain anxious awaiting word on their homes, and some feel guilt over what they left behind or worry for neighbors and firefighters still at risk.

The effects often outlast the fire. Evacuees are more likely than nearby residents who weren’t forced out to report anxiety, depression, sleep problems, intrusive memories, and PTSD symptoms.

The toll can extend for years researchers say. Studies found wildfire evacuees faced cognitive and behavioral changes and altered social relationships, alongside financial strain and disrupted routines.

But I’m betting on a more resilient and stronger Sisters as we — the level people — bond deeper through recovery.

COMM UN IT Y A NNOU NCEM EN TS

Snow flake Boutique

Craf t- Consig nors Wa nted

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wa nte d for t he 50t h Snow a ke

Bout ique, November 6 & 7, 2 026 . Nex t jur y w il l be

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Wit h her gentle n at ure a nd ea sy going tempera ment, she would m ake a wonderfu l r st pet for c hi ld ren.

— SPONSORED BY —

Satu rd ay, A ug ust 8 , sta rting at 9:3 0 a .m. , at t he R ed mond

Senior Center. A dd it iona l jur ies wi l l be held t hroug h October.

In fo: www.snow a kebout ique org or c al l Jul ie, 5 03 -3 02 -4 427, or Pa i, 5 03 -798 -210 9.

Interpretive Wa lk s:

Su mmer 2026

Free Sat urday mor ning w alks o ered by F riends of t he

Metolius . K id s a re welcome, but please no dogs . Wea r stu rdy

footwea r a nd bring w ater

Augu st 1, 9 to 11 a.m. Ca mp

Sher ma n Br idge to Al li ng ha m

Br idge & back . Observe t he un ique r ipar ia n h abit at of the Metol iu s ecosy stem t hat includes c ha ri smat ic s pecies

suc h a s osprey, r iver o ers , a nd merga nser duc ks . L ea r n about recent c ha nges to e nh ance habitat for sh a nd nat ive pl ants . Susan’s c abi n on t he river ha s been i n her f amily si nce t he 193 0’s. Leader: Susa n Pr ince . For in form at ion, ca ll 415-233-32 43

Notice of Elec tion for Sisters City Counci l

SIST ER S COMM UN IT Y FOOD RE

SOURCE S

Th ree Sisters Histor ical Societ y Wa lk ing Tours Free g uided Wal ki ng Tou rs: Heritage Homes or H istoric Bu ildi ngs Dow ntow n . E xplore the c ha rm a nd some of t he r ic h stor ies of Sisters’ past . E ac h tou r i s about one m ile long a nd ta kes one hou r. For dates , t imes , and reser vation s , go to www th reesistershi stor ic al societ y.org under t he “ Wa lk ing Tou rs” t ab 541- 610- 6323

Mont hly Song wr iters’ Sharing Ci rcle Second Wed ne sd ay of t he month (A ug us t 12), 6 to 8 p.m. , at e Hub, 291 E . M ai n Ave B e i n creati ve c om mun it y a nd be in spired w hile sha ring son gs , being a g reat l is tener, a nd prov id ing feedback . A l l age s a nd sk il l levels welcome . Fre e.

In fo: c al l or tex t Jes s at 541- 97 7- 84 94

Craf t & Connec t at Pi ne

Fi rst Fr id ay Fa mi ly Fun Bi ngo Night Post poned

Fi rst Friday Family Fu n Bingo Night h a s been pos tponed unti l September due to the A kaw a Bu e Fire. O ur thought s a nd prayer s a re w it h the brave re g hter s a nd ever yone w ho ha s been forced to e vacu ate t hei r homes . Event i s reschedule for S eptember 4, w it h proceed s s upporting CORE —Com mun it y O ut reac h

Resource s a nd E mergenc y. We si ncerely hope you w il l joi n u s t hen . Stay strong a nd safe, Si ster R esidents . e Epi scopa l Churc h of Tra ns gu ration, 541-549-70 87

Su mmer Concer t Series at Sisters Commun it y Church Satu rd ay, A ug ust 15 at Si sters Com mun it y C hu rc h, 13 0 0 McK en zie Hwy , L ine da nc ing lesson s at 5 p.m., then enjoy J e Miller B and at 6 p.m . Food t ruck s ava il able Donation s s uppor t COR E . For in form at ion go to s isterschurch com/event s or em ai l i nfo@ sistersc hu rc h.com

Volu nteer to Help Ho rses

Ca lling a l l hor se lover s! H appy

Litterat ure Club

Wednesday, July 29, 9 to 10 a .m . Sisters L ibra ry outside . P ic k up t ra sh a nd ta l k about books

Scales & Ta les

Wednesday, July 29, 10 a .m . to 12 p.m . Meeti ng Room . B eg in ner t abletop role-playi ng g ame for 8–12 yea r old s!

Fa mi ly Stor y Ti me

Wednesday, July 29, 10:30 to 11 a .m . Com mun it y Room . I nter ac tive s tory time w it h books , son gs , a nd rhymes! 0 –5 yea rs

Stor y Ti me Cr af t

Wednesday, July 29, 11 to 11:4 0 a .m . Com mun it y Room . Color, c ut , g lue, pa int , a nd more!

Sisters Su mmer

Dungeons & Dragons Club

Free Lu nches for Seniors COACO o ers no-cost

socia l lunc h e ver y Tuesd ay, 11 a .m . to 1 p.m . at Sisters Commun it y C hu rc h, 130 0 W. McK en zie Hwy No reser vation s neede d. No -cost Grab-N-Go lu nc hes weekly on

Wednesday a nd u rsday, from 12:30 to 1 p.m . Cal l 541-79 7-93 67

Week ly Food Pa nt ry

COR E M arket , loc ated at 22 2 N. Trinit y Way i n

Si sters . Mondays , 1 to 2 p. m . I nfo: 5 41-588 -2 332.

Free Week ly Meal

Serv ice

Fa mily K itchen hos t s a week ly to-go hot mea l on Tuesdays , 4:3 0 to 5:3 0 p.m., at Sisters Com mun it y Church, 130 0 W. McK en zie

Hw y. I nfo: www

Fa milyK itchen .org.

Free Pet Food

Need pet food for you r dog or c at? Cal l t he Fur ry

Fr iend s pet food b an k at 541-79 7- 40 2 3 to s chedule

you r pic kup. L oc ated at 412 E . M ai n Ave., Ste. 4, beh ind e Nug get.

Kiwa nis Food Ba nk

Located at 382 W. M ai n Ave . Weekly d istr ibut ion i s u rsday s f rom 9 a .m . to 2 p.m . I nfo: 5 41-632 -3 663.

Meadow Ra nch Center for Ar ts & Agricu lt ure u rsday, A ug us t 6 , f rom 3 to 5 p.m . at PMRCA A . Bring a ny sm al l projec t a nd m ater ia ls you need to work a longside commun it y member s a nd enjoy conversa tion w it h fel low arti sts . i s e vent i s f ree a nd open to t he public . R eg istrat ion i s requi red at h ps:// roundhou sefoundation .org / events/. For more i nfo c al l 5 4190 4- 070 0 or em ai l i nquiries@ roundhou sefoundation .org.

Widows’ Suppor t Group

Notice i s hereby g iven t hat a Genera l E lect ion w il l be held on November 3 , 2 026 , for t hree position s on t he Sisters Cit y Counci l . e r st d ay to le for a Cit y Cou nc i l pos it ion w as Wednesday, June 3 , 2 026 . To be el ig ible one must be a q ua li ed elec tor i n O regon, a c ur rent regi stered voter i n t he Cit y of Si sters , a nd must h ave been a resident of t he Cit y for 12 month s preceding t he elect ion. Cit y Cou nc i l pos it ion s a re nonpa rt isan . E lect ion m ater ia l s c an be fou nd on t he Cit y website at: www.c i. sisters.or.u s . e term s of C ou nc ilor M ic hael

Preedin, Cou nc ilor Gar y R oss, and Cou nc ilor C hery l Pel leri n wi l l end on December 31, 2 026. Al l t hree a re e ligible to apply for reelect ion . Candidates a re encouraged to obt ai n elect ion m ater ia l s by A ug ust 4, 2 026. Al l l ing requi rements for incumbent s must be c ompleted

by 5 p.m . on A ug ust 18 , 2 026, and ne w ca nd id ates by 5 p. m . on

Augu st 2 5 , 2 026 . For quest ions about the process, em ai l Monica

Bu rmei ster at mbu rmei ster@ ci.sisters .or.us , or stop by Cit y Ha l l at 52 0 E . Cascade Ave

Free Veteri na ry Clin ic

CA M P (Compa nion A nim al

Medica l P roject) i s hosting a veteri na r y c linic i n Sisters, t he rst Wed ne sd ay of t he month, 10 a .m . to 12 p.m . at COR E, 22 2 Trinit y Way. O er ing no -cost pet v acci ne s (includ ing rabies), brief w el lnes s e xam s, dog/cat food, a nd s uppl ies.

CA M P o ers t hei r ser vice s to un/sheltered a nd low-i ncome pet owners a nd t he c linic i s r st come- rst ser ve w it h no prior regi st ration necessa ry. For more in form at ion c ontac t O ut reac h Navigator L ia m B oehning at li am @c ampc linics .org or 541- 633-39 79

Widow s of a l l age s a re i nv ited to joi n t hi s s upport ive group of loc a l women to sh are e xper ienc es , stories , and f riendship i n a safe envi ronment . S ha re a pot luck of sal ad s , con nec t w it h others who t ruly u nderst and , a nd nd hope toget her. Month ly gather ing s a re t he r st Friday of e ver y mont h f rom 11:3 0 a .m to 1 p.m . i n t he Fireside R oom at Sisters Com mun it y C hu rc h, 13 0 0 McK en zie Hwy, Sisters For quest ions , contac t Cindy Vice (513-22 6-1222) or Melody Ca rl son (541- 815-35 40).

Ba ha’i Fa it h

Trail s Hor se R escue i n Tum alo need s volunteers! Ca n you help t hem help hor ses? New Volu nteer O rientation i s t he rst a nd t hird Sunday s of t he mont h at 10 a .m . or c al l to schedu le! L ea r n more at www.h appy trai lshr.org

Amer ican Legion and VF W VF W Post 8138 a nd A mer ic an Le gion Post 8 6 meet t he r st Wednesday of eac h month at 6 :3 0 p.m. , at e Hub sister sveteran s@gm ail.com

Cent ra l Oregon Federated Republ ican Women

Fi rst u rsday eac h mont h at

As pen L ake s G ol f Cou rse i n

Si sters , 11 a .m . to 1:3 0 p.m

Lu nc heon i s $27. R SV P to cofr wbend@gm ail.com Website: www.cof rw.org

For i nfor mat ion, devot ions, study g roups, etc ., cont ac t S hauna R ocha 5 41-6 47-982 6 • www.bah ai .org www.bah ai .u s • www.bah aiteac hi ng s.org Chapel in the Pi nes Ca mp S herma n • 5 41-815 -9153

Wednesday, July 29, 1 to 4 p. m . Com mun it y R oom Joi n u s for a w eekly teen Du ngeons & D ragon s c lub! Qu iet Wr it ing Ti me u rsday, July 3 0, 10:30 a.m . to 12 p.m . Meeti ng Room . E njoy t he foc u s of a qu iet s pace w it h t he bene t of others’ compa ny To What Do We Pledge? u rsday, July 3 0, 11 a .m . to 12:3 0 p.m . Com mun it y Room . A f ac il it ated conversation to c on nect , re ec t , a nd lea rn Thrive Cent ra l Oregon Drop-I n Consultations Fr id ay, July 31, 10 a .m . to 1 p.m . Stud y R oom Drop -i n soc ia l ser vice s as sist ance t hat con nect s you w it h resou rces

SISTERS-AREA Events & Enter tainment

WEDNESDAY • JULY 29

Sisters Saloon Poker Night Texas Hold’em 5:30 p.m. to close upstairs. 21+. $20 (add'l $5 when bounty chip is played).

THURSDAY • JULY 30

The Suttle Lodge Live Music: Double Jump 6 to 8 p.m. "Big Lawn Series," Free; all ages Food Cart Garden at Eurosports Trivia Night 13th annual family-friendly trivia. Free 5:45 to 6:30 p.m. Sign up at 5:30 Info: call 541-549-2471

Pine Meadow Ranch Center for Arts & Agriculture "Tracing the Landscape Workshop" introduces close sensing as a way of paying attention to the environment through movement, observation, and drawing Through guided outdoor exercises participants will explore their surroundings and reflect on their connection to the natural world. 1 to 5 p.m. $90 Registration and more info: roundhousefoundation.org/events.

FRIDAY • JULY 31

Downtown Sisters 5th Friday Artwalk 4 to 7 p.m. Galleries and shops feature art and demonstrations. Information: www.sistersarts.org.

Frankie's in Sisters Live Music: Bob Baker, Brian Odell & Brandon Ficquette 6 to 8 p.m. $10. Tickets and info: frankiesinsisters.com.

Hardtails Outlaw Countr y Dive Bar & Grill Karaoke 9 p.m. Information call 541-549-6114.

Lazy Z Ranch Wines Live Music: Danilson Duo 6 to 8 p.m. Husband-and-wife team known for their soulful harmonies. No cover. Info: www.lazyzranch.com/events.

The Barn Live Music: Joel Chadd 6 to 8 p.m. on the outdoor stage. Info: www thebarninsisters.com.

Eurosports Food Cart Garden Music: Mortal Soulstice 5 to 7 p.m. Free Family- and dog-friendly Info: 541-549-2471

Paulina Springs Books Magic: The Gathering nights Booster Draft 5 p.m. $20 paulinaspringsbooks.com.

SATURDAY • AUGUST 1

Hardtails Live Music: Major Dudes Steely Dan tribute. 8 to 10 p .m. in The Yard Tickets: BendTicket.com. Eurosports Food Cart Garden Spontaneous Car Show 5-7 p.m. Family- and dog-friendly Bring your cool car to display, or just come look — different every week. Free Info: 541-549-2471

Lazy Z Ranch Wines International Mead Day with live music by Lilli Worona. Celebrate on the ranch with mead! Noon to 9 p.m.; live music 6 to 8 p.m. No cover. Info: www.lazyzranch.com/events.

SAT/SUN • AUGUST 1 & 2

La Pine Rodeo Grounds Backcountr y Offroad Expo

Two-days of offroad and outdoor community with offroad trucks, adventure vans, trailers, rooftop tents, campers, gear builders, brands, educational talks, food trucks, music camping DIY showcase, For Sale vehicle section, and a raffle benefiting the Humane Society. After the expo attendees can join an optional guided trip featuring two nights of camping and a full day exploring the scenic backroads of Deschutes National Forest Use code SISTERSFREE for free admission and CAMPING20 for 20% off weekend camping Info: BackcountryOffroadExpo.com.

SUNDAY • AUGUST 2

Fir Street Park Sisters Farmers Market 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Featuring live music community booth, vendors, kids activities, and more. For info visit www.sistersfarmersmarket.com. Paulina Springs Books Sunday Scrabble 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Play Scrabble, socialize, and drink coffee. Info: www.paulinaspringsbooks.com.

Sisters Saloon Live Music: Dr y Canyon Stampede 6 to 8 p.m. on the patio Free and open to all ages

MONDAY • AUGUST 3

The Suttle Lodge Live Music: Jeshua Marshall 6 to 8 p.m. "Big Lawn Series," Free; all ages

Paulina Springs Books Poetr y Gathering

"The Pause Button," an informal monthly gathering for poets and poetry enthusiasts Bring a poem or two to share. Listen, discuss, and write. Free 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. More info at www.paulinaspringsbooks.com.

TUESDAY • AUGUST 4

Hardtails Outlaw Countr y Dive Bar & Grill

Trivia 6 to 8 p.m. Information call 541-549-6114.

WEDNESDAY • AUGUST 5

The Suttle Lodge Live Music: Wolfhouse Records Dirty Jazz 6 to 8 p.m. Free Info: www thesuttlelodge.com.

Sisters Saloon Poker Night Texas Hold’em 5:30 p.m. to close upstairs. 21+. $20 (add'l $5 when bounty chip is played).

THURSDAY • AUGUST 6

Food Cart Garden at Eurosports Trivia Night 13th annual family-friendly trivia. Free 5:45 to 6:30 p.m. Sign up at 5:30 Info: call 541-549-2471

Paulina Springs Books Author reading: Jenn Donahue presents "Becoming the Warrior: Harnessing Your Inner Strength to Silence Self-Doubt." The framework is designed to move those who feel stuck and afraid to feeling equipped to take action. 6:30 p.m. Info: paulinaspringsbooks.com.

Frankie's in Sisters Live Music: Tristan Marshall

6 to 8 p.m. No cover! Upstairs at 250 W. Cascade Ave. The Suttle Lodge Live Music: Skillethead 6 to 8 p.m. "Big Lawn Series," Free; all ages

FRIDAY • AUGUST 7

Lazy Z Ranch Wines Live Music: Erin Cole-Baker

6 to 8 p.m. Sisters Folk Festival Breedlove artist in 2018 No cover. Info: www.lazyzranch.com/events.

Eurosports Food Cart Garden Music: Five Pint Mar y 5 to 7 p.m. Free Family- and dog-friendly Info: 541-549-2471

Sisters Art Works Live Music:"Hometown Hang" featuring Never Come Down with Skybound Blue 6 p.m. A free community concert, with opportunity to connect with 10 local nonprofits Info: www.sffpresents.org/concerts.

Frankie's in Sisters Live Music: Singer Songwriter Series featuring Rick Moore, Bill Powers, and Tamra Jean 6 to 8 p.m. Tickets and more information: www.frankiesinsisters.com/our-events/.

Hardtails Music: DJ Chris Ossig 8 to 10 p .m., doors at 7, in The Yard Low-back lawn chairs welcome Paulina Springs Books Magic: The Gathering nights Booster Draft 5 p.m. $20 paulinaspringsbooks.com.

SATURDAY • AUGUST 8

Hardtails Live Music: Chained to Stone 6 to 9 p.m., doors at 7, in The Yard Low-back lawn chairs welcome Frankie's in Sisters Live Music: Scott Foxx 6 to 8 p.m. $10. Tickets and info: frankiesinsisters.com. Lazy Z Ranch Wines Meet the Meadmaker: Facility Tour 2 to 3 p.m. Behind-the-scenes tour of the ranch winery barrel room, and farm, with ranch history and stories plus optional guided flight with a special barrel taste (if available). More info: www.lazyzranch.com/events.

Eurosports Food Cart Garden Spontaneous Car Show 5-7 p.m. Family- and dog-friendly Bring your cool car to display, or just come look — different every week. Free Info: 541-549-2471

SUNDAY • AUGUST 9

Sisters Saloon Live Music: Jazz Folks

FRIDAY • AUGUST 14 (cont.)

Lazy Z Ranch Wines Live Music: Bill Powers 6 to 8 p.m. No cover. Info: www.lazyzranch.com/events.

Frankie's in Sisters Live Music: Tony Lompa 6 to 8 p.m. No cover! Courtyard at 250 W. Cascade Ave.

Hardtails Outlaw Countr y Dive Bar & Grill

Karaoke 9 p.m. Information call 541-549-6114.

Paulina Springs Books Magic: The Gathering nights Booster Draft 5 p.m. $20 paulinaspringsbooks.com.

SATURDAY • AUGUST 15

Pine Meadow Ranch Center for Arts & Agriculture "Cattail Hats Workshop" Discover the craft of weaving using cattails. In this hands-on class, participants weave wild-harvested cattail leaves into a beautiful, functional hat. $230 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Registration and more info: roundhousefoundation.org/events.

The Barn Live Music: Eric Leadbetter 6 to 8 p.m. on the outdoor stage. Info: www thebarninsisters.com.

Hardtails Live Music: Cover City brings timeless hits. 7 to 10 p .m. in The Yard $10 cover begins at 7 p.m. Eurosports Food Cart Garden Spontaneous Car Show 5-7 p.m. Family- and dog-friendly Bring your cool car to display, or just come look — different every week. Free Info: 541-549-2471

Sisters Community Church Live Music: Jeff Miller and the Congregation on the lawn at 1300 Old McKenzie Hwy Doors at 5:30 p.m., concert 6 to 8 p.m. Free with donations welcomed to support CORE. All are welcome for an evening of music, dancing, and fellowship Info: sisterschurch.com/events.

SUNDAY • AUGUST 16

Sisters Saloon Live Music: Double Wide 6 to 8 p.m. on the patio Free and open to all ages Fir Street Park Sisters Farmers Market 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Featuring live music, community booth, vendors, kids activities, and more. For info visit www.sistersfarmersmarket.com. Paulina Springs Books Sunday Scrabble 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Play Scrabble socialize, and drink coffee. Info: www.paulinaspringsbooks.com.

MONDAY • AUGUST 17

The Suttle Lodge Live Music: Forest Ray 6 to 8 p.m. "Big Lawn Series," Free; all ages

TUESDAY • AUGUST 18

Hardtails Outlaw Countr y Dive Bar & Grill Trivia 6 to 8 p.m. Information call 541-549-6114.

WEDNESDAY • AUGUST 19

6 to 8 p.m. on the patio Free and open to all ages Food Cart Garden at Eurosports Language Gathering 4 to 6 p.m. Practice, listen to, or converse in another language! Italian, French, Spanish speakers planning to attend, and all languages welcome for friendly conversation at this free community event. Hosted by Bend Language Institute. Info: bendlanguageinstitute@gmail.com or 541-728-3022.

Fir Street Park Sisters Farmers Market 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Featuring live music community booth, vendors, kids activities, and more. For info visit www.sistersfarmersmarket.com.

Paulina Springs Books Sunday Scrabble 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Play Scrabble, socialize, and drink coffee. Info: www.paulinaspringsbooks.com.

MONDAY • AUGUST 10

The Suttle Lodge Live Music: Dive Bar Theology 6 to 8 p.m. "Big Lawn Series," Free; all ages

TUESDAY • AUGUST 11

Hardtails Outlaw Countr y Dive Bar & Grill Pool Tournament 5:30 p.m. Info: 541-549-6114.

WEDNESDAY • AUGUST 12

Sisters Saloon Poker Night Texas Hold’em 5:30 p.m. to close upstairs. 21+. $20 (add'l $5 when bounty chip is played).

THURSDAY • AUGUST 13

Lazy Z Ranch Wines Live Music: Dumpster Joe 6 to 8 p.m. Portland-based duo on res-o-phonic guitar and cello No cover. Info: www.lazyzranch.com/events. Frankie's in Sisters Live Music: Grits 'N Gravy 6 to 8 p.m. $10. Tickets and info: frankiesinsisters.com. Food Cart Garden at Eurosports Trivia Night 13th annual family-friendly trivia. Free 5:45 to 6:30 p.m. Sign up at 5:30 Info: call 541-549-2471

The Suttle Lodge Live Music: Silvertone Devils 6 to 8 p.m. "Big Lawn Series," Free; all ages

FRIDAY • AUGUST 14

The Barn Live Music: Vibe Shiftas 6 to 8 p.m. on the outdoor stage. Info: www thebarninsisters.com. Eurosports Food Cart Garden Music: Lilli Worona and Mike Biggers 5 to 7 p.m. Free Family- and dog-friendly Info: 541-549-2471

Frankie's in Sisters Live Music: Tom Nechville & Linda Leavitt "Handpicked Series," 6 to 8 p.m. $10 Info: frankiesinsisters.com. Upstairs at 250 W. Cascade Ave. Sisters Saloon Poker Night Texas Hold’em 5:30 p.m. to close upstairs. 21+. $20 (add'l $5 when bounty chip is played).

THURSDAY • AUGUST 20

The Suttle Lodge Live Music: Use'ta Do 6 to 8 p.m. "Big Lawn Series," Free; all ages Food Cart Garden at Eurosports Trivia Night 13th annual family-friendly trivia. Free 5:45 to 6:30 p.m. Sign up at 5:30 Info: call 541-549-2471

FRIDAY • AUGUST 21

The Barn Live Music: Old Growth 6 to 8 p.m. on the outdoor stage. Info: www thebarninsisters.com. Hardtails Outlaw Countr y Dive Bar & Grill Karaoke 9 p.m. Information call 541-549-6114. Paulina Springs Books Magic: The Gathering nights Booster Draft 5 p.m. $20 paulinaspringsbooks.com. Eurosports Food Cart Garden Music: Haystack Jack 5 to 7 p.m. Free Family- and dog-friendly Info: 541-549-2471

SATURDAY • AUGUST 22

Hardtails Live Music: Pendleton Highway 7 to 10 p .m. in The Yard $10 cover begins at 7 p.m. The Barn Live Music: Larkspur Stand 6 to 8 p.m. on the outdoor stage. Info: www thebarninsisters.com.

Eurosports Food Cart Garden Spontaneous Car Show 5-7 p.m. Family- and dog-friendly Bring your cool car to display, or just come look — different every week. Free Info: 541-549-2471

Pine Meadow Ranch Center for Arts & Agriculture "Pattern Printing with Mordants and Overdyeing" a two-day, hands-on workshop exploring natural dye pattern printing with mordants. Participants explore layering, resist techniques, and overdyeing, leaving with samples, a finished piece, and the skills to continue natural dye printing $260 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Registration and more info: roundhousefoundation.org/events.

SUNDAY • AUGUST 23

Sisters Saloon Live Music: Thomas T and the Blue Chips 6 to 8 p.m. on the patio Free and open to all.

AKAWA

BUTTE FIRE: Sisters faced an existential crisis

Continued from page 1

amped up the danger of the fire turned out to be a blessing in disguise. Heavy winds blew in a favorable direction, pushing back against the oncoming firestorm, and the clouds opened with a significant downpour on critical portions of the fire area.

“The rain came in and knocked this dragon down,” Howard told the gathered community on Thursday. “And we’re going to do our level best to keep it down.”

It was a battle, but firefighters were buoyed by a stream of resources that began to pour into the Akawa Butte Fire — the No. 1 priority fire in the nation by Thursday. While portions of Sisters itself were placed under Level 1 — Be Ready status, fire lines were tested and withstood several days of hot, dry conditions, and strong, gusty winds out of the northwest. By Sunday, evacuation levels were being reduced, and Sisters locals and visitors were enjoying a beautiful, bluebird day.

But any elation at the apparent passing of an existential crisis had to be tempered with a caution that Governor Tina Kotek shared on a visit to Sisters on Friday: “We have a long summer yet ahead of us.”

Firefighters, public officials, and citizens alike are acutely aware that Central Oregon — indeed the whole state — is seeing August conditions in July, thanks to a dry winter and extended drought conditions. There are multiple major fires burning across the northern tier of Central Oregon. At over 1 million acres, the state has already far surpassed the total acreage burned in 2025, with months of fire season still to come.

Kotek noted that, while the state mobilizes every resource to combat lightning-sparked fires, it is of critical importance that we do not contribute to the problem with humancaused fire starts.

“Do your part individually,” she reminded Oregonians during a press conference at Sisters-Camp Sherman Fire Hall on Friday. “Let’s make sure people aren’t causing fires.”

Through the crisis, Sisters responded as it always does — with people stepping up to help their neighbors, whether it was to help evacuate horses or to provide moral support to a shell-shocked community. The stories in this edition of The Nugget Newspaper offer a portrait of a community that has faced repeated threat from wildfire, and yet remains resilient, compassionate — and grateful to all those who protect and serve Sisters.

A moment of peace in the firestorm

On Wednesday evening, July 22, after a day of thick smoke, erratic winds, eerie dark skies, evacuations, sirens sounding off, and an intense time of thunder and lightning — followed by a deluge of rain — a man with a guitar steps onto the Songbird Stage at Fir Street Park for intercessory worship and prayer and he has invited a cadre of brothers and sisters to join him. Some gather in the park from the invitation, and others are drawn in as they happen by. Voices raise up together in song.

The rain ceases and the sun gradually comes out from behind the shroud of

smoke and clouds. People can be seen scattered about the park standing with head bowed or arms raised or kneeling on the ground praying for rain, for divine protection of Sisters and Camp Sherman, for provision for the firefighters’ safety and strength, for a unified community in this challenging moment.

After a time, a local pastor calls all in the park to circle up. Every person there comes and — without prompt — wraps their arms around the neighbor beside them. The picture of unity brings peace to anxious ones; the prayers in unison come upon the Father’s ears.

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: Mail a check to PO Box 1509, Sisters, OR 97759.

• Cloverdale Volunteer Firefighters Association: 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: 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 www.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: *** 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 reopen, 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.

FIRE TOWN: Sisters Rodeo Grounds was firefighting HQ

Most are just trying frantically to do what they should have done months ago to prepare for fire. She doesn’t admonish them. “…we just help them with what needs to be done as fast as possible.”

Nunes said she was generally pleased with how “fire wise” properties were.

“Most of the homes we have come in contact with are well defended,” she said.

All four firefighters talked about the speed of the fire’s advance, particularly last Wednesday, July 22. And the intensity.

“We had flames of 150 to 200 feet,” Nunes marveled.

There are three 12-hour shifts deployed for the Akawa Butte Fire: 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. (day shift); 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. (night shift) and noon to midnight (swing shift).

Nunes’ team’s shift was working the swing.

Crews work 14 days straight before mandatory breaks.

It was 11 a.m., and the four

Obituary

2026

Diana passed away peacefully on March 16, 2026, in Science Hill, KY, at the age of 84.

She was born on August 11, 1941, to Ray and Ruth Rowe in Rosita, Colorado. She was born in a farmhouse and delivered by her father. She liked to tell people that her first bed was a dresser drawer. She had two brothers, Don and Wayne Rowe, and three sisters, Joanne Rickards, Leora Warfield, and Shirley Miller.

She started school in Parkdale, CO, where she had to walk two miles, each direction, with her siblings. They moved a lot during her childhood before finally settling in Sisters. Her favorite school years were in Falls City, Oregon. She graduated from Sisters High School in 1959 then married Gary Pepperling on April 25, 1960. They were married 50 years and had four children, one of which was still born.

She worked at Lake Creek Lodge in Camp Sherman for 30 years then worked at Ray’s Food Place until she was 80 years old. She was proud of her jobs and made lifelong friends at both. She felt it contributed to her long life.

She moved to Kentucky in 2022 and felt she had the best of both worlds; she could go to Oregon in the summers

were eager to get back on the line. They were all fresh faced and clear eyed, excited for meeting the risk head-on.

“We like the work,” Nunes said. “We don’t want to just go sit a house or a subdivision. We want to get dirty.”

To a person they acknowledged the outpouring of gratitude they receive when coming to town for supplies.

“Folks are always grateful,” Marvin said. “But in small towns there’s even more appreciation. We’re just glad to be here to help out.”

The camp

The dining tent is the heart of camp. Contract caterers serve thousands of hot meals each day, carefully planned to replace the 4,000 to 6,000 calories many firefighters burn during long hours of digging fireline, operating chainsaws, or protecting homes. Before heading to the fire, every firefighter picks up a sack lunch packed with sandwiches, fruit, trail mix, jerky, energy bars, cookies, sports drinks, and electrolyte packets.

Maintaining hygiene for a temporary city requires its own army of support. Mobile shower trailers provide hot showers, while laundry units wash smoke-soaked clothing.

and still have adventures the rest of the year. She had an adventurous spirit and loved to get in a car and go for a drive. She went on many adventures with her parents and children.

She loved genealogy and wanted to stop at every cemetery she passed. Family was very important to her, and she was grateful to live so close to her children and grandchildren for most of their lives.

Portable toilets and handwashing stations are serviced daily, and sanitation crews work continuously to keep the camp clean and healthy.

Medical care is close at hand. Doctors, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, paramedics, and emergency medical technicians staff the medical unit, treating everything from dehydration and heat exhaustion to cuts, burns, sprains, insect stings, and smoke inhalation.

Behind the scenes, logistics personnel keep the operation running. Mechanics repair engines and bulldozers, fuel trucks replenish equipment, radio technicians maintain communications, and supply specialists issue replacement hose, chainsaws, pumps, protective clothing, and countless other essentials. Every item, from a pair of gloves to a portable radio, is tracked and accounted for.

Although a fire camp resembles a bustling small town, every activity revolves around a single mission: supporting firefighters on the line. Every hot meal served, every shower heated, every vehicle repaired, and every radio tested contributes to the next day’s battle.

How firefighters come to our aid

The Oregon State Fire Marshal (OSFM) serves as the state’s primary authority for coordinating structural firefighting resources during major wildfires and other large-scale emergencies. Under ORS Chapter 476, the OSFM administers the Oregon Fire Service Mobilization Plan, a statewide system that allows municipal, rural, and volunteer fire departments to be deployed anywhere in Oregon when local resources are overwhelmed.

The plan establishes standardized procedures for requesting assistance, coordinating command and communications, reimbursing responding agencies, and providing liability and workers’ compensation protections for deployed personnel.

The OSFM’s authority is further strengthened by Oregon’s Emergency Conflagration Act. When the Governor declares a conflagration, or under expanded statutory authority in certain emergencies, the State Fire Marshal can mobilize structural firefighting resources from across the state to protect communities threatened by wildfire.

As a result, fire engines and crews from cities such as Portland, Bend, Medford, or Pendleton may be deployed hundreds of miles away. While assigned to the incident, responding departments continue to operate under their own officers while integrating into the nationally recognized Incident Command System, ensuring a unified and coordinated wildfire response.

She is survived by her children Gary Pepperling, wife Cathy; and daughter Diedre Hart, husband Dave, grandchildren Anna Chaney, husband Scott, Nick Pepperling, wife Kristen, Aubrey Martin, husband Walker, Natasha Pepperling, Michael Voorhies and Christopher Voorhies, in addition to great-grandchildren, Delaynie Gillan, Aria Gillan, Jackson Pepperling, and Jameson Martin. She is also survived by her brothers Don and Wayne, and sister Shirley.

She is proceeded in death by her parents, Ray and Ruth Rowe; sisters Leora and Joanne; husband Gary; and sons Clayton and Geoffrey.

There will be a Celebration of Life at the Sisters Fire Hall on August 8, 2026, from 12 to 4 p.m. Meat, cheese, and rolls will be provided for sliders. Please bring a potluck item or dessert.

PODCAST

The American Revolution on the Frontier by Jim Cornelius “Fascinating!Historydoneright.” — Bob Deis

New episode is available now on Spotify and most ma jor podcasting platfor ms...

OUTDOORS!

EPISODE 64 ... “The American volution On The Frontier — Bloody Mohawk”

ODE 63 ... “The American Revolution he Frontier Allegheny Uprising”

ODE E 62 “The American Revolution On Frontier — Introduction”

ODE E 61... “Warren Angus s Man of the Mountain La

ODE E 60... “Tales of the Rangers X The Mier Expedition” nd”

Search and Rescue takes on back-to-back missions

Even as all attention was turned to the Akawa Butte Fire north of Sisters, Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office Search and Rescue (SAR) volunteers responded to back-to-back missions last week, assisting injured and ill hikers in two separate areas of the county.

On July 22, 2026, at 1:46 p.m., a Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office Special Services Deputy was dispatched to Misery Ridge Trail at Smith Rock State Park for a report of a hiker who was dehydrated, not alert, and unable to safely descend the trail.

The patient, a 58-year-old woman from the San Francisco area, was reported to be about two-thirds of the way up the trail. One Special Services Deputy and 10 Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office SAR volunteers responded. Redmond Fire & Rescue, Bend Fire & Rescue, and a Smith Rock State Park Ranger also assisted. Bend Fire personnel and the park ranger reached the patient at approximately 2:40 p.m., providing initial care.

SAR volunteers and the deputy arrived shortly thereafter, assisted with medical evaluation, and transported the patient down the trail via wheeled litter without incident. She was transferred to Bend Fire at approximately 4:30 p.m. and taken to St. Charles-Bend for further care.

On July 23, at 1:38 p.m.,

Deschutes County 911 received a text-to-911 from an 18-year-old male near Green Lakes requesting assistance for a leg injury. Due to poor cell service, communication with the person was limited, and details of the injury were initially unclear.

A Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office Special Services Deputy and 12 SAR volunteers responded. SAR teams hiked approximately 4.5 miles from the Green Lakes Trailhead and located the injured hiker and his friend, both from Sunriver. It was later learned that the two had been descending Broken Top when one tripped and fell, resulting in the injury. SAR medical personnel evaluated the hiker and determined he could not walk out on his own.

The patient was transported on a wheeled litter back to the trailhead, where he was released to friends, who took him to St. CharlesBend for further evaluation.

The Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office reminds those recreating outdoors to stay hydrated, carry ample water, tell friends or family where you’re going, and take additional precautions when hiking during hot or smoky conditions. The Sheriff’s Office thanked SAR volunteers, Redmond Fire & Rescue, Bend Fire & Rescue, and Oregon State Parks staff for their assistance in these missions.

On a recent Tuesday evening as I was loading up The Nugget for deliver y, a woman came up on the porch and g rabbed a handful of papers. She told me it is a weekly ritual for her to pick up papers for her neighbors, who all enjoy reading the paper “cover-to-cover.” She’s been doing this for years, and she said:

“I

hope you keep going forever.”

We hear from readers like that on a regular basis, and it’s the most g ratifying aspect of our work.

Our goal is to keep going forever — and to do that, support from our readers has become vital. It’s no secret that print media is in trouble across the nation. Costs continue to rise, and can’t simply be passed on to advertisers who are already stressed by their own higher costs of doing business. Readership declines as people’s habits change, and in many places, people don’t read at all, to a point where many think we’re entering a ‘post-literate’ society

That’s the bad news.

The good news is that Sisters is still home to readers — and writers, too. We know that the community values their newspaper, because you tell us so — and many want to support their newspaper so that it does stay vital for years to come. And we continue to seek to find new ways to provide value for their support. There are now multiple ways that readers can directly support The Nugget that are easy and aren’t expensive but have a big impact:

Suppor ting Contributions: Direct contributions to The Nugget are allocated to support our outstanding stable of freelance reporters, columnists, and photographers. You can make a supporting contribution online at www.nuggetnews.com (hit the “Donate” button); or you can mail a check to P.O. Box 698, Sisters OR 97759; or (best of all) stop by the office at 442 E. Main Ave. We love to talk with our readers.

Subscribe to the “Nuggets From A Small Town” Substack: Substack is an online subscription platform for creators. “Nuggets From A Small Town” offers longer-form essays from Editor in Chief Jim Cornelius, for readers who like to engage with thoughtful writing on topics ranging from identity to the power of empathy, what we learn — or don’t — from histor y. This week’s essay looks at the importance of reading what it might mean to be a “post-literate society.” You can access “Nuggets From A Small Town” at https://jimcornelius609. substack.com. All subscriptions directly support The Nugget Newspaper

Online subscription: The content published on Substack and other subscriber-only content is available with an online subscription to nuggetnews.com. Click the subscribe button to sign up or call the office and we can assist you.

Print subscriptions cover only the cost of deliver y; the paper continues to be “free.”

Directly paying for our content is the best way readers can help us continue to provide it. It’s also vital to shop local and support the businesses that advertise in The Nugget — and provide Sisters with so much of its character

Change is inevitable, and more rapid than ever — but, with your help, we can preserve good things that “make Sisters Sisters.” With your suppor t, we can ensure that The Nugget is there for you each week to read “cover-to cover,” with more content for readers online. And maybe we will just go on forever.

Thank you,

Jim Cornelius, Editor in Chief

Emergency alert system popular in rural Ore.

By Shaanth Nanguneri Correspondent

Participation in Oregon’s voluntary statewide emergency alert system designed for natural disasters and public safety threats has been far higher in rural counties than in the Portland metro area, according to a new study.

Researchers from the Ohio-based Miami University published their findings on Monday in Disaster Prevention and Management: An International Journal. They found that the OR-Alert system has “surprisingly” high enrollment rates above 100% from counties such as Clatsop, Curry, Douglas, and Lincoln, while the Multnomah County area had an enrollment rate of 13% that mostly included “internal Portland employees.” The rates above 100% are likely due to people signing up for the alerts more than once.

“Enrollment also varied geographically, with some rural counties reporting surprisingly high participation rates, while urban areas like Multnomah County showed low participation, leaving large populations more vulnerable,” the study reads.

That’s a reflection of the fact that natural disasters such as landslides and floods are more common in rural Oregon in comparison to the Portland metropolitan area.

The OR-Alert system kicked off in Oregon in 2021 and allows people to visit a statewide portal to connect with local emergency alert systems in all 36 counties and tribal governments across the state who rely upon a universal mass notification service. The system allows for local emergency notification managers to coordinate with the Federal Emergency Management Agency, or FEMA, which can send alerts to all cell phones in a given area.

While more than 50% of the alerts the system sent out use text messaging, push notifications were “underutilized” at 2%, posing “substantial barriers for time-sensitive earthquake warnings,” according to researchers. They said the geographic

and notification-type disparities represent barriers to risk reduction.

“Institutional coordination between emergency management, public health, and community organizations can build the engagement and trust necessary for effective warning response,” the study reads.

The U.S. Geological Survey offers another tool that delivers automatic notifications to people on their cellphones ahead of damaging earthquakes at their locations. That is not an opt-in tool, but recipients must allow their cell phones to receive emergency alerts in their settings.

Republished under Creative Commons license

CC BY-NC-ND 4.0, courtesy of https://oregoncapitalchronicle.com/.

Send an email to editor@nuggetnews.com

Fire and the stress response

By Dasha Gousseva Columnist Commentary...

The Akawa Butte Fire has many of us feeling exhausted, overwhelmed, and frustrated. I am a therapist, and I work with people navigating the after-effects of challenging life events. I draw from the perspective of human physiology and nervous system responses. Here, I will elaborate on the stress response cycle and how understanding it may help us support ourselves through this time.

Natural disasters are unique in simultaneously generating individual and collective responses. Each of us is navigating this differently: Some are now evacuated. Some feel anger toward the fire meandering so close to town. Some incessantly check the media for updates. Some are offering help to community members in need. Some are continuing under “business as usual.” Our responses here are differing, appropriate, and inextricably connected. The stress response holds

biological wisdom. Our autonomic nervous system quickly perceives cues of danger and mobilizes to act accordingly. Indeed, it would be an issue for our survival if we did not. However, it also takes us far longer to come out of the stress response state than to enter it — consider how quickly you startle when an object unexpectedly falls, and how much longer it takes to return to a relaxed state.

We may also consider that sometimes we experience the stress response for a prolonged duration. Instead of providing assurance, signals from our environment perpetuate the danger and there is no certainty about the outcome. We smell the wildfire smoke, hear the sound of aircraft, see the red skies and haze, and receive the Watch Duty notifications. In other words, we understand that “I am still not safe.” We truly may still need to attend to our physical safety. However, this mechanism starts to cause more harm than good when

we are no longer in imminent threat and are relatively safe.

Our nervous system is typically unconcerned with distinguishing separate timeframes and events, and I know this may sound confusing. Though we may cognitively understand that the 2025 Flat Fire is long gone, our nervous system is likely to link the experience of this year’s wildfire with the uncertainty we experienced last year. Though we may see reports of increasing fire containment, we may perceive the onset of smoke as increased danger.

We also tend to default to a familiar stress-response state in times of uncertainty. This can look like anxiety, frustration, and complete overwhelm — and may manifest physically as sleep disruption, appetite changes, headaches, fatigue, shallow breathing, tightness in the chest, or digestive issues.

None of this is prescriptive. With this knowledge, we can better respond to the stress at hand. Elite athletes train for something similar:

they practice staying in control while under physical and psychological duress, uncoupling the stress state from performance. Equally, those of us experiencing the ongoing wildfire can practice strategies to respond with a greater ease and resilience.

I find hope in knowing that people are “wired for connection.” A common misconception in the field of nervous system regulation is that we can take a few deep breaths, go for a calming walk, and all will be well in our internal world. Instead, research shows that people feel most regulated when socially connected — and in a genuine, not manufactured, manner. This is an important time to lean into community. Do not isolate — check in with a friend or neighbor, or go to a community event. If you feel unsettled, give someone who you know is calming and level-headed a call. If your thoughts remain fixated on the fire, perhaps reconnect with a friend living a distance away.

We can also give

ourselves signals of safety. Once it is physically safe to do so, return to your normal routine. Remember that it takes time to feel fully settled – pace yourself and find time for rest. Ask yourself what you enjoy, and make time for the activity. Instead of focusing on uncertainty, find something within your control and do it; taking action is a great way to combat overwhelm. Instead of constantly checking media, set aside check-in windows. If possible, find opportunities for physical movement — especially if you have been noticing pent-up frustration.

Even though it can be particularly frustrating and overwhelming that we are experiencing a nearby wildfire for two years in a row — we have the knowledge that we went through the prior fire, learned a lot already, and know how to support one another. The outlook of the Akawa Butte Fire is not yet certain. How we support ourselves and one another through this uncertainty is something we have a say in.

the current wildfires, wildlife may be more likely to enter urban areas and exhibit unusual behavior while fleeing smoke and fire over the next few weeks. They will also be in search of food resources, which will be significantly depleted in the immediate aftermath of the fire.

“It’s mid-July, which means we’re right in the middle of nesting and baby season. Our hospital is admitting new baby birds and mammals every single day,” said Sally Compton, Think Wild executive director. “That makes this an especially vulnerable time for wildlife to face fire. Nestlings, fledglings, and young mammals are less able to flee smoke and flames than adults, and a fire moving through nesting habitat can separate or orphan young animals very quickly. On top of that, fires diminish territories and available habitat, making resources more scarce and increasing competition, which is especially hard on young wildlife still learning to hunt or forage.”

Heat, wildfire, and poor air quality can also have similar effects on wildlife that we experience ourselves.

“During times of extreme heat or poor air quality, animals may experience dehydration, heat exhaustion, general disorientation, and respiratory issues,” said Think Wild’s Interim Director of Wildlife Rehabilitation Savanna Scheiner.

She advises people to “watch for wildlife traveling through your property and along roadways fleeing fire, seeking shelter, and looking for food and water. Drive slowly, and do not panic or approach these animals. If necessary, monitor at a safe distance. If you notice wildlife exhibiting odd behaviors, or come across a nest or young animal that appears abandoned or injured, please contact your local wildlife rehabilitation center before intervening.”

As wildfire seasons become longer and more severe, healthy riparian ecosystems are increasingly important for protecting wildlife and reducing the impacts of fire across the

landscape. Through Think Wild’s Beaver Works Oregon program, we restore these critical waterways by installing Beaver Dam Analogs (BDAs) and planting native vegetation to support beaver population recovery and the natural processes that create more fire-resilient habitats. BDAs, along with natural beaver dams, slow water flow and increase water retention in creek systems, creating wetter floodplains that are less susceptible to wildfire. These restored wetlands also provide critical refuge for wildlife fleeing fires in drier upland habitats, offering food, cover, and water when surrounding landscapes are burning.

“Restoring riparian habitat, so beavers can move in and take over, is one of the most effective things we can do for fire resilience,” said Dr. Maureen Thompson, Think Wild’s Beaver Works Oregon program manager. “More late-season water impoundments (AKA beaver dams) mean more fire resilience for everyone who lives nearby, human and wildlife alike.”

Think Wild was forced to cancel an instream restoration project because an active wildfire near the project area created unsafe conditions for volunteers. As fire seasons become longer and more severe, restoring these natural, fire-resilient ecosystems is becoming both more urgent and more challenging.

Here are some ways that you can support native wildlife during fire season:

• Do not feed wildlife. Human food can cause harm and encourage animals to remain in urban areas where they’re more likely to come into conflict with humans. If you maintain a bird feeder, clean it regularly to help prevent the spread of disease.

• Provide clean water.

A shallow dish or bird bath placed away from your home can provide a much-needed drinking source during hot, dry weather. Refresh the water frequently to keep it clean and reduce mosquito breeding.

• Make backyard water features wildlife-friendly. If you have a pond, trough, or other water feature, ensure wildlife can safely climb out by adding rocks, branches, logs, or wildlife escape ramps.

• Protect your pets and wildlife. Keep cats indoors

and dogs leashed or supervised, especially during periods of poor air quality and when wildlife may be displaced by wildfire. This protects both your pets and vulnerable wildlife seeking refuge.

• Give wildlife space. Never approach or attempt to care for wild animals yourself. If you find injured or orphaned wildlife, discover a nest of baby birds or mammals, or observe wildlife behaving unusually, contact your local wildlife rehabilitation center for guidance.

• If you find a burned animal, do not feed or give water unless directed by a wildlife rehabilitator or veterinarian. Instead, gently place the animal in a ventilated box lined with a soft 100 percent cotton towel or cloth, keep it in a dark, quiet location, and contact a licensed wildlife rehabilitator immediately.

• Use water wisely. Conserving water during drought and wildfire season helps maintain streamflows and wetlands that wildlife depend on for survival.

• Help prevent wildfires. Follow all local fire restrictions, properly extinguish campfires, avoid parking vehicles on dry grass, and stay aware of conditions, as even small sparks can quickly

become large wildfires.

• Volunteer to restore wildlife habitat. Healthy riparian areas and wetlands are more resilient to wildfire and provide critical refuge for wildlife. Consider joining a local habitat restoration project to improve habitat before the next fire season.

Wildlife rehabilitation centers, including Think Wild, receive little to no government funding and rely on community support. During baby season and wildfire

season, donations of supplies such as formula, heating pads, enrichment items, and cash gifts help ensure injured and orphaned wildlife receive the care they need.

Think Wild is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, and tax-deductible donations can be made at www.think wildco.org/donate or mailed to PO Box 5093, Bend, OR 97708.

Think Wild’s wildlife hotline, 541-241-8680, is available seven days a week from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Hunting, fishing ban fails to make the ballot

By Julia Shumway Oregon Capital Chronicle

Oregonians won’t vote in November on whether to ban hunting, fishing, livestock farming, and animal research after backers of a widely criticized initiative failed to gather enough valid signatures to make the ballot.

The Oregon Secretary of State’s Office announced late Friday afternoon, July 24, that it had determined Initiative Petition 28, an effort led by Portland-based vegan advocates to dramatically expand the state’s animal cruelty laws, had less than 75 percent of the valid signatures it needed from Oregon voters to make it onto the November ballot.

Oregonians trying to pass laws through a statewide vote need to collect signatures from six percent of voters who cast ballots in the last gubernatorial election. This year, that’s 117,173 signatures.

Backers of the animal cruelty initiative, who did not immediately return a call for comment Friday, reported handing in 142,784 signatures. But through two statistical samples, state election officials determined that just 104,262 of those signatures matched individual Oregon voters’ signature records. Election officials compare signatures submitted to voter records and exclude duplicates.

Initiative Petition 28 would have banned nearly all harming or killing animals, with exceptions for self-defense and veterinary care. It would not have applied to insects, which aren’t considered animals under Oregon law, but would cover all other non-human creatures.

The initiative had widespread opposition from Democratic and Republican political leaders, the farming, ranching, and fishing industries, and Oregon’s federally recognized tribes, whose treaty-protected rights to hunt and fish in their traditional land would not have been exempted from the ban.

A coalition opposing the initiative welcomed the news. Lauren Kuenzi, government affairs director at the Oregon Farm Bureau and a coalition spokesperson, thanked Oregonians who raised alarms about the potential consequences of the proposed law.

“Today’s announcement means Oregonians will not be faced with a ballot measure that would have made criminals out of lawabiding citizens, threatened family farms and ranches, increased food costs, and undermined the sciencebased wildlife management that protects our state’s natural resources,” Kuenzi said.

This was the third election cycle that animal rights advocates have introduced a version of the initiative, and the closest they’ve come to making the ballot. The campaign raised more than $300,000 for its efforts this time around, state campaign finance records show, allowing it to pay petition circulators.

None of the other 88 initiatives Oregonians proposed this year submitted enough signatures, so this will be the first general election in decades without a citizen-led initiative on the ballot.

Republished under Creative Commons license CC BY-NC-ND 4.0, courtesy of https://oregon capitalchronicle.com/.

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