In The Middle Of Unprecedented Wildfires, State Fire Marshal Placed On Paid Leave
Portland, Ore. — With more than 1,000,000 acres of land burning in Oregon, State Police Superintendent makes a change at the top in the State Fire Marshal’s Office.
State Police Superintendent Travis Hampton placed Fire Marshal Jim Walker on paid administrative leave Saturday for unannounced reasons.
In Walker’s place, Superintendent Hampton appointed Marina Ruiz-Temple as Acting Oregon State Fire Marshal
In a written statement, Superintendent Hampton says “Mariana is assuming this position as Oregon is in an unprecedented crisis which demands an urgent response. This response and the circumstances necessitated a leadership change. I have the absolute confidence in Mariana to lead OSFM operations through this critical time. She it tested, trusted and respected – having the rare combination of technical aptitude in field operations and administration.”
Media reports say that Walker is the subject of a State Police investigation that does not involve fire fighting.