California sends five strike teams to boost Oregon’s firefighting capacity, will pre-position in Willamette Valley
SALEM, Ore. (KTVZ) – Five CalOES strike teams are headed to Oregon to provide additional capacity as our state deals with a continued forecast of triple-digit temperatures, extreme fire danger and forecast lightning.
The strike teams are able to mobilize to Oregon after the Oregon State Fire Marshal (OSFM) made the request Monday through the Emergency Management Assistance Compact (EMAC) and the Oregon Department of Emergency Management.
The strike teams will be pre-positioned in the Willamette Valley to be available to support existing wildfires or any new fire starts that break out.
“With several fires burning on the west slope of the Cascades and the fire danger increasing by the hour, our agency has decided to take the proactive step to bring in additional capacity to support the Oregon fire service,” Oregon State Fire Marshal Mariana Ruiz-Temple said.
“We are thankful for our strong and storied partnership with CalOES and the California fire service. We work extremely well together and offer each other support when our communities are impacted by wildfire and other disasters.”
The OSFM currently has 11 task forces mobilized to two fires in Lane County, the Lookout Fire and the Bedrock Fire.
Over the next week, Oregonians and visitors should remain vigilant, officials said, as the threat of wildfire is exceptionally high. The OSFM is urging everyone to be wildfire aware and practice wildfire prevention to avoid sparking additional wildfires.
ABOUT EMAC
EMAC is a national interstate mutual aid agreement that enables states to share resources during disasters. EMAC complements the federal disaster response system, providing timely and cost-effective relief to States requesting help from assisting member states that understand the needs of jurisdictions struggling to preserve life, the economy, and the environment.
