Wildfire staffing grant helps Crooked River Ranch Fire balance local calls with statewide deployments

(Update: adding comments from OSFM, Crooked River Ranch Fire & Rescue, video)

CROOKED RIVER RANCH, Ore. (KTVZ) -- As firefighters are sent across Oregon to battle wildfires, small departments must balance the broader call for help while ensuring they have enough personnel to respond to emergencies at home.

Crooked River Ranch Fire and Rescue shares personnel and equipment through Central Oregon’s mutual-aid system.

“We all share resources and help each other out because not one of us, a single agency, could handle the amount of fires we see in Central Oregon,” Fire Chief Sean Hartley said.

This year, the Oregon State Fire Marshal (OSFM) awarded nearly $6 million to 180 local fire agencies through its Wildfire Season Staffing Grant program. Each agency received up to $35,000 to help pay for additional staffing during wildfire season.

Priority was given to rural districts receiving less than $2 million in annual property-tax revenue.

“It really does help with wildfires and deployments to those wildfires,” OSFM Public Affairs Director Kassie Keller said. “But it also helps just during the regular course of the day. Whether it’s EMS or a car crash or things like that, the staff are on and they’re able to respond to all the calls.”

At Crooked River Ranch, the grant pays for one additional firefighter each day, providing greater flexibility both inside and outside the district. The award covers that firefighter’s wages for roughly three to three-and-a-half months.

Hartley said the additional staffing has already strengthened the department’s response to wildfires.

“Wildfire is a big issue in Central Oregon. It’s one of the things that can impact our communities the most,” Hartley said. “Through that Wildland Fire Season Staffing Grant, we were able to get multiple rigs to these calls very quickly and keep the fire small.”

Firefighter and EMT William Robles said residents also have an important role to play before a fire begins.

“Managing your property, making sure it is wildfire-safe, is always a good thing,” Robles said. “Just always be ready. Even if your house isn’t under evacuation, always have that plan, because it can happen quickly.”

Crooked River Ranch Fire and Rescue has received funding every year since the grant program began in 2022.