Oregon Public Broadcasting

Firefighters continue mop up work Tuesday on a small wildfire east of Bend.

The fire is now 100-percent contained, but did burn about 40 acres of grass, brush and pine trees near a popular camp site.

Central Oregon correspondent Ethan Lindsey reports.

Wildfire season isn’t really upon us yet – but firefighters worry it could be a long one.

Central Oregon Interagency Dispatcher Jada Altman says the weekend’s fire, near Pine Mountain, is a good early-season training run.

Jada Altman: “It’s going to be more of an Indian summer for us – and this incident over the weekend was a perfect time to practice.”

Altman says firefighters are prepping for an average year – just spread out over a longer period of time in the dry, high desert east of the Cascades.

National fire center forecasters say Oregon got enough rainfall this year to help keep fires near an average number.

But forecasters are keeping their eyes on one potential Northwest hot-spot – north-central Washington was particularly dry this winter.