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0 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? e-edition | subscribe | newsletter | deals Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » NEWS NOW Our View: Three elections that matter right now ... The Concord launches ... Mail Tribune 100: Oct. 20, 1915 ... Our View: Three elections that matter right now ... The Concord launches ... Mail Tribune 100: Oct. 20, 1915 ... WILDFIRES Fire roundup: New Central Oregon blaze destroys 2 homes Strong winds spur wildfires near Bend, John Day, and in Washington Comment By The Associated Press MailTribune.com By The Associated Press Posted Aug. 29, 2015 at 8:03 PM By The Associated Press Posted Aug. 29, 2015 at 8:03 PM » Social News PORTLAND — A human-caused fire broke out at a state park campground in central Oregon and quickly grew to 200 acres Saturday, destroying two homes and several outbuildings. An Oregon State Police fire investigator will look into the specific cause of the blaze, which began at Cove Palisades State Park north of Bend, the Central Oregon Interagency Dispatch Center said. About 60 people were evacuated from a small subdivision west of Culver. Firefighters were challenged by strong winds, steep slopes and dry fuels. To the east, firefighters battling a massive wildfire briefly evacuated the southern half of the town of Prairie City and surrounding areas after strong winds pushed flames closer to the town of about 900 people. The fire made one run off the mountains into the grasslands and burned "a finger" that came within 1.5 miles of Prairie City, said Vince Mazzier, a spokesman for the firefighting team. Crews were quickly redeployed to strengthen lines in the area, and residents were allowed to return an hour later. "The crews hit it hard, and they stayed with it," said Kelsey Dehoney, a spokeswoman also working with firefighting crews. "They did a really good job and managed to get it knocked down." However, officials said flames consumed another home Friday afternoon, bringing to 40 the number of homes destroyed by that fire. In Washington state, crews battling a blaze in central Washington were encouraged that fire lines seemed to be holding despite strong winds. Winds pushed the flames toward unburned areas inside the fire's perimeter, said Nick Mickel, a spokesman for fire crews. "We've had some pretty strong winds along the fire lines, so we have disengaged from some places," Mickel said. "Maybe the fire activity isn't increasing, but we've had some limbs and trees go down. For the sake of firefighter safety, we're pulling some of them off the lines until the winds calm down." Meanwhile, a firefighter injured battling a blaze in central Washington has been upgraded from critical to serious condition. Daniel Lyon, 25, is alert and breathing on his own, a spokeswoman for Harborview Medical Center said Saturday. He has undergone two successful burn surgeries, and more are planned. He remains in intensive care. Lyon had burns on more than 60 percent of his body. He was one of four firefighters injured when flames overtook them on Aug. 19. The other three injured firefighters have been treated and released. By The Associated Press MailTribune.com By The Associated Press Posted Aug. 29, 2015 at 8:03 PM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Southern Oregon Directory Featured Businesses Loading... Business Name address Location, ST | website.com Find Southern Oregon Attractions Bars Restaurants Beauty Salons Entertainment Doctors Medical Specialists Contractors Education Lawn Services Lawyers Shopping Travel Tanning Used Cars Wedding Services ▼ Add your business here + Events Calendar Connect with MailTribune.com Facebook Twitter RSS Back to top Reader Services Reader Services Home Subscriptions Subscriber controls Contact us Submissions Photos Events Letters to the editor Corrections Announcements Obituaries Story ideas Since you asked Alerts Email Alerts RSS Feeds Text Alerts Advertise Media Kit Home Products and services Ad rates Advertising contacts Propel Marketing Mail Tribune Daily Tidings The Nickel Shop Our Valley Blogs Mobile Site Stay Informed Email newsletter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Your privacy is important, read our privacy policy. © Copyright 2015 Local Media Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms of Service | Local Media Group Publications Original content available for non-commercial use under a Creative Commons license, except where noted. MailTribune.com | P.O. Box 1108, Medford, OR 97501