Fire Protection

Vandevert Ranch has a continuous program of removing fuel for forest fires from all the common areas of the ranch.  The staff is highly experienced in logging and in the maintenance of forested areas.  The ranch manager and other employees remove fallen trees, leaves, dead or dry lower branches on trees, and scrub brush.  Homeowners are required to keep their own property free of fuel for forest fires.

Vandevert Ranch is served primarily by the La Pine Rural Fire Department.  The nearest La Pine Rural Fire Protection District station is less than one mile from the ranch.  It is Station 102 at 55785 South Century Drive, La Pine.  The station is equipped with a tender that can draw water from the river as well as from the fire hydrants. 

La Pine has mutual aid agreements with the Sunriver Service District and the Oregon Department of Forestry.  The nearest Sunriver Service District station is about 3 miles away at 57475 Abbot Dr., Sunriver. 

In 2001 the ranch purchased a truck with a 1,500 gallon water tank to provide quick response to brush fires.  Ranch employees are available to operate it during the hours they are on the ranch (daylight hours seven days a week).  The truck and its water are also used to keep the dust down during fuel reduction operations.  

Fire hydrants along Hashknife Road west of the river are supplied and maintained by Sunriver Utilities.  Locked gates on the west and south borders provide emergency access and escape routes in case of fire. 

See Security.