Light rain relented Monday afternoon as people gathered at the Sisters High School auditorium for the first community meeting since the Flat Fire ravaged through Jefferson and Deschutes Counties.

Officials updated attendees on the cause of the fire, its size, containment and what to expect going forward. Most notably, they confirmed that the fire was human-caused.

Flat Fire spokesperson Brett Deedon estimated about a thousand people filled the high school auditorium. People were sitting on the floor in the aisles and lined the walls to hear an update on the fire, which has lingered a few miles outside of the town of Sisters. Evacuations for Deschutes County outside the town have persisted since Saturday.

The fire is also notable for what didn’t burn. Officials have confirmed only four homes were lost to fire so far, but another 827 homes were saved, something fire officials and attendees celebrated with multiple rounds of applause for the crews that worked around the clock in difficult conditions.

“We will continue to be here to protect your homes,” said Ian Yocum, a representative with the state Fire Marshal.

The fast-moving blaze broke out Thursday, just as a summer heat wave set in. It grew almost 15 miles from north to south in four days and prompted a quick response from first responders. As of Tuesday, it stood at just under 22,000 acres and 7% contained. Around 1,336 personnel are working on the fire.

On Monday night, the previously uncontained fire had 67 miles of perimeter, said Tyler McCarty, a unified incident commander for the Oregon Department of Forestry’s Incident management team.

The fire started on “private ODF protected lands” in Jefferson County, according to Luke Garcia, an acting fire management officer at the Central Oregon Fire Management Service. Officials confirmed the fire was human-caused but said the investigation will likely take months. They did not confirm if there are any suspects in the cause of the fire. The investigation will be led by the Oregon State Fire Marshall’s office, according to interim Deschutes County Sheriff Ty Rupert.

The scope of evacuation orders related to the fire decreased Monday, though many people are still not allowed to return to their homes. Actor Rainn Wilson, best known for his role as Dwight Schrute on the NBC comedy “The Office,” was among those who fled the fire in recent days. In a social media post, Wilson said it was the fourth time in six years his family has had to evacuate due to fires.

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Despite the reprieve from high temperatures and low humidity on Monday, the heat is set to increase and unstable weather will move in this week. On Monday night, lightning danced over Bend. According to a National Weather Service forecast, there is a chance of showers and thunderstorms in Bend and Sisters on Tuesday.

Resources: Stay safe and informed during wildfire season with OPB’s wildfire guide at opb.org/wildfires. This resource offers essential safety tips and preparedness guidance to help you navigate fire and smoke events. This resource was created as part of our commitment to serving the public as wildfire seasons become longer and more dangerous.

News Source : https://www.opb.org/article/2025/08/26/flat-fire-was-human-caused-officials-confirm-at-sisters-meeting/