Bend wildfire reward reaches $43K

BEND, Ore. — A reward for information about a fire that threatened west Bend last month has grown to $43,000.

The Bulletin newspaper of Bend reports investigators are still conducting interviews about the Two Bulls fire.

The Deschutes County sheriff’s office has described it as human-caused, and possibly a case of arson.

On June 7, a fire lookout spotted two fires near the Tumalo Reservoir that eventually merged, resulting in the evacuation of about 200 homes. Eight days later, the fire was declared contained.

The fire burned in an area of 6,908 acres, nearly 11 square miles.

Cascade Timberlands, a timber holding company, owns most of the acreage. Company forester Bill Swarts says he’s evaluating whether to do salvage logging.