More than three years after a wildfire tore across 211 acres of land on Bend’s northwest corner, a landowner has paid the Oregon Department of Forestry a hefty bill for costs associated with putting out the blaze.

James Verheyden — the owner of the 750-acre property where the Bull Springs Fire exploded across the landscape on March 28, 2021 — paid the Oregon Department of Forestry $72,500, according to Jessica Neujahr, a spokesperson for the agency.

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Verheyden, along with his contractors and his businesses, are released from any claims or demands made against them about suppressing the fire, according to an Oregon Department of Forestry statement reviewed by The Bulletin.

The original bill for fighting the fire, issued to Verheyden in May 2023, was $68,907. Neujahr said the higher amount Verheyden paid reflects interest.

The delay in making the payment is due to disputes that arose from the claim and other pending litigation involving the same fire, according to Tab Wood, the Portland-based lawyer representing Verheyden.

Making the payment to the Oregon Department of Forestry is not an admission of fault or wrongdoing, Wood said.

Verheyden said in testimony that he tried to control the flames by digging handlines on his property but high winds caused the flames to spread rapidly. Local firefighting crews eventually suppressed the blaze.

The property owner said he had previously watched over the pile burns until they were extinguished, suggesting that they only reemerged because an earthquake had stirred embers in the piles. The fire spread onto adjacent properties.

“In the end, this payment to ODF was agreed to by Dr. Verheyden’s insurance company to put the claim to rest,” said Wood. “The agreement for payment expressly recognizes that there is no admission of fault or liability.”

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A civil suit against Verheyden that was planned for later this month was halted Tuesday during a trial readiness hearing. Verheyden and the neighbors suing him for property damage are settling out of court, according to court papers reviewed by The Bulletin.

Last year Verheyden’s neighbors filed a lawsuit seeking at least $2.4 million for property damage. The sides have 45 days to make the resolution official. Wood declined to comment on the settlement due to its pending status.