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The Nugget Newspaper
Sisters, Oregon
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The contents of the on-line edition of The Nugget represent a selection among the stories that appear in the weekly print edition.

Golf Home 97 was one of two homes that burned at Black Butte Ranch. (by Jim Cornelius) more photos

Map of the fire. Click to enlarge

Note: We are posting new information as it becomes available. The latest stories are at the top of this page.

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Highway 20 open for two-lane traffic
Highway 20 is now open to two-lane traffic, according to the Oregon Department of Transportation.

Fire remains a threat
Firefighters took advantage of low winds and powerful air support to make a strong push against the Cache Mountain fire on Monday, July 29.

Cache fire 60 percent contained
The Cache Mountain fire was 60 percent contained on Monday evening, July 29. Fire officials estimate that the fire will be fully contained on Thursday, August 1.

Cache Mountain fire active on flanks
As of Monday afternoon, firefighters were battling the Cache Mountain fire to a standstill.

Portions of BBR could open Wednesday
Portions of Black Butte Ranch could be reopened as early as Wednesday -- if the fire situation does not worsen.

Ranch residents must stay out for now
Black Butte Ranch will remain evacuated until fire officials are absolutely confident that the Cache Mountain fire will not blow up again and ignite fires on the Ranch.

Governor Kitzhaber: "It's a war"
Governor Kitzhaber assured firefighters and local residents that the State of Oregon is putting out a maximum effort to battle the Cache Mountain fire, which burned two homes on Black butte Ranch on Sunday, July 28.

Firefighters save homes
Homes saved at Black Butte Ranch were very close to homes that burned. Only great effort on the part of Black Butte Ranch firefighters, standing in "defensible space," saved them.

It's not over
The Cache Fire that has destroyed two houses at Black Butte Ranch is still a threat, despite "lying down" over night.

Blaze "advanced like a firestorm"
Both homes lost to fire at Black Butte Ranch were on the northwest corner of the property. There are another 84 structures "at risk" from flames that surged onto the Ranch.

Homes lost at Black Butte Ranch
At least two homes have been lost at Black Butte Ranch, and the Ranch has been 80 percent evacuated. Acording to one woman "When our parents were evactuated, there was already one house burning."

Black Butte Ranch evacuated
Wind-driven spot fires at Black Butte Ranch forced the evacuation of the resort community 10 miles west of Sisters. Highway 20 has been closed to allow vehicles to exit the Ranch.

Firefighters optimistic on Cache fires
Although the Cache Mountain fire grew to 3,300 acres overnight, firefighters were optimistic that they would get the upper hand on the blaze by mid-day Sunday, July 28.

Black Butte Ranch prepares for fire
Fire officials are keeping an eye on an imaginary "green line" between the Black Butte Ranch boundary and the Cache Mountain fire, which has covered about 2,100 acres and in some places is about one-half mile from the Ranch.

Black Butte Ranch evacuation plans
If fire officials decide to evacuate Black Butte Ranch, a reverse 9-1-1 recorded phone message will be sent alerting residents about evacuation plans. This evacuation will only be instituted if officials deem the fire a sufficient danger to BBR.

Cache fire grows to 1,900 acres
The Cache Mountain Fire, burning some 11 mile northwest of Sisters, grown to approximately 1,900 acres, with wind-driven spot fires forming on the northeast and southeast flanks of the fire.

Winds push Cache Mountain fire
Stiffening winds with gusts up to 15 to 20 miles per hour pushed the Cache Mountain Fire to the northeast on Friday afternoon, July 26.

Cache Mountain fire burns 700 acres
The Cache Mountain Fire grew to approximately 700 acres by Friday morning, July 26.

Camp Tamarack evacuated 
Camp Tamarack was evacuated on Thursday afternoon, July 25, as the Cache Mountain Fire approached within a mile to a mile-and-a-half of the recreational facility.

Cache Mountain fire update 
The Cache Mountain Fire some 18 miles west of Sisters had burned 634 acres by Thursday morning, July 25, according to an aerial infrared survey Wednesday evening.

Lightning sets new fires
Lightning strikes Tuesday evening, July 23, touched off a wildfire on Cache Mountain some 18 miles west of Sisters.

Crews get upper hand on local fires
After long and weary days of battle, fire crews have gained the upper hand on the 1,130-acre Geneva 2 Fire northeast of Sisters and the larger, 21,144-acre Eyerly Fire near Lake Billy Chinook.

City cool to school SDC reduction request
The City of Sisters has turned a cold shoulder to a school district request to pay systems development charges (SDCs) in phases as enrollment at the new Sisters High School grows.

Camp Caldera hosts Sisters kids’ camp
The woods around Blue Lake rang last week with the sounds of song and children at play during Camp Caldera’s ReAct! program.

Climbers bag seven peaks in four days
John Platt and Brian Mahon were men in a hurry last week.

Student-run Outlaw Café to open in Sisters
A student-operated restaurant called the Outlaw Café will open in Sisters in the next school year, funded through grants secured by the Community Action Team of Sisters.

State Farm shuts door
State Farm Insurance has stopped writing new homeowner, renter, and condominium insurance policies in at least six western states, including Oregon.

Local school adds field trip bus
A grant from the Juan Young Trust has provided a new 14-passenger bus for Sonrise Christian School in Sisters.

Starry Nights Concert Series to take year off
The Sisters Starry Nights Concert Series will take a one-year hiatus, with plans to return in a more streamlined format in spring 2004.

Summer paddling on the McKenzie
Canoe and kayak enthusiasts will find the little-known Smith Reservoir a great setting for an afternoon of paddling.

Horse program changes lives
Healing Reins Therapeutic Riding Center in Bend is quietly going about the business of changing lives.

Friesians will do benefit
Locals will have the opportunity to see Healing Reins riders in action on August 3.

High Desert Gallery hosts nine artists
Art aficionados in Sisters now have another venue in which to indulge their passion.

Kiwanis will host Hole-in-One tourney
Sisters area golfers will take their best shots at making a hole-in-one at the Aspen Lakes Golf Course this week.

Deadline nears for songwriting contest
The July 31 deadline is at hand for the Sisters Folk Festival annual songwriting contest. The Sisters Folk Festival is set for September 6-8.

Sisters woman reports cougar sighting
A Sisters woman reported seeing a cougar in her yard on Forked Horn Road just north of Sisters on Wednesday, July 17.

Laredo Construction honored for work
Laredo Construction's commitment to top-quality work and complete customer satisfaction has paid off in the winning of back-to-back Chrysalis Awards, a national remodeling industry award.

Local company fights fires across the West
As raging infernos blaze out of control across Oregon, a Sisters company is supplying equipment and manpower to attack the fires.

Classic cars roll through Sisters
Bob McCarty and Don Perkins backed their 1930s-vintage cars into a couple of nice shady spots on Larch Street on Friday, July 19, broke out a couple of camp chairs and sat on the sidewalk to have lunch while their wives shopped in Sisters.

SOAR celebrates summer fun
Sisters kids -- and plenty of adults, too -- enjoyed a day of summer fun on Saturday, July 20, courtesy of SOAR.

Metolius guardian spirit pole nearly complete
A sculpture being carved out by J. Chester Armstrong at the Metolius River Lodges in Camp Sherman is near completion.

Grant for Outlaw Cafe draws fire from city council
Not everyone is cheering the $25,000 grant that will help launch the Outlaw Café.

Sisters business at a glance
Several new retailers have opened for business in new buildings adjacent to Coldwell Banker Reed Bros. Realty.

Reading programs set at Sisters Library
The Sisters Library's Preschool Parade program "Summertime Fun" will be held on Thursday, July 25, at 10:30 a.m.

Sisters in Sisters set for late September
Sisters will welcome fun loving ladies for the annual Sisters in Sisters celebration September 27-29.

Sisters teen injured in wreck near Suttle Lake
Gabrielle Carnavan, 19, of Sisters was seriously injured in a single-vehicle accident on Suttle Lake Road on Monday evening, July 22.

New priest arrives
Parishioners officially welcomed Father Jim Logan as the new priest at St. Edward the Martyr Catholic Church in Sisters on Sunday, July 21.