Oregon State Fire Marshal Boosts Wildfire Response with Nearly $6 Million in Grants

SALEM, Ore. (KTVZ) -- The Oregon State Fire Marshal has awarded nearly $6 million in grants to 180 local fire agencies across Oregon.

This funding is part of the 2026 Wildfire Season Staffing Grant and aims to boost response staffing in preparation for the upcoming wildfire season.

Individual agencies can receive up to $35,000 through the grant program, which allows them to bring on extra firefighters through October. The funding can be used to hire seasonal firefighters or to pay for additional shift work. The primary goal of the grant is to reduce response times and help keep fires small, preventing them from impacting Oregon communities. This marks the fifth year for the wildfire season staffing grant.

Oregon State Fire Marshal Mariana Ruiz-Temple stated that the grant has been a "game changer" for the Oregon fire service. She emphasized its role in preventing fires from escalating into larger, more costly regional or statewide responses.

The grant process prioritizes smaller, rural fire agencies that may depend on volunteers for response. Having dedicated staff has allowed several agencies to respond to other life-safety emergencies in their communities.

Fire Chief Sean Hartley with Crooked River Ranch Fire and Rescue shared a specific example of the grant's impact. "I can say without hesitation this grant had a direct and immediate impact on our ability to respond to the Alder Springs and Flat fires in 2025," Hartley said. He added that the additional personnel funded by the grant provided more firefighters when those large incidents occurred, strengthening operational readiness.

A complete list of recipient agencies is available on the Oregon State Fire Marshal's website.

The Oregon Legislature has allocated funding for the grant in 2027.