Marion County Firefighters Wildfire Task Force Heads to Deschutes County
Recent lightning and the elevated threat of wildfire in Central and Southern Oregon are prompting the Oregon State Fire Marshal to pre-position two task forces of firefighters and equipment in Deschutes and Klamath counties this week.
A task force from Marion County is heading to Deschutes County. It’s 13 firefighters, four engines, and one water tender. On Saturday, a task force from Benton County will go to Klamath County. It includes 14 firefighters, four engines, and one water tender. They’ll stay for 72 hours and longer if needed. The task forces will be on the ground to add additional firefighting capacity if a brush or wildfire breaks out.
These task forces will be the second and third task forces mobilized this year for a pre-positioning assignment.
“Oregon experienced significant lightning over the last 24 hours, and with rising temperatures returning the next few days, the potential for holdover fires is there,” Oregon State Fire Marshal Mariana Ruiz-Temple said. “We’re using the power of the Oregon Fire Mutual Aid System to move resources and add capacity to respond to any fire that may spark. Our goal is to keep fires small and away from communities.”
With hot weather returning, the OSFM encourages all Oregonians to be aware of the dry conditions and take precautions to avoid sparking a human-caused fire.
