Heroic efforts — and preparation — saved hundreds of homes near the Flat Fire

Aside from the firefighters’ efforts, both Puller and Schulze credited homeowners for practicing Firewise guidelines, which recommend measures like clearing combustibles away from the first 5 feet of a home and keeping roofs and gutters clear of leaves and pine needles.

It’s a community-wide effort that Schulze said he saw throughout Sisters.

“Just driving through you can tell that there’s been a lot of Firewise prep in this area,” Schulze said. “And rightfully so. It’s probably the worst area in Oregon for fires. So I guess they’ve learned a thing or two about it.”