The Oregon Department of Forestry continues to provide assistance to other states with large fire management support. 84 fire specialists are currently assigned to fires in other states, and 37 specialists have returned to Oregon since deployments began in May.
On the East Volkmar Fire burning in Alaska, the ODF incident management team deployed to the blaze is scheduled to begin transferring command of the fire back to a State of Alaska team on Saturday June 18th, with a majority of the team members traveling back home to Oregon on Sunday, June 19th. A few team members will remain to assist with transition. Current information on the East Volkmar Fire is available through InciWeb at: http://www.inciweb.org/incident/2253/
On Thursday, 13 ODF firefighters were dispatched to New Mexico to provide assistance on fire operations in that state.
These assignments are helping Oregon fire personnel gain experience and keep current their national firefighting qualifications. ODF incurs no financial drain by assisting other states, since the jurisdictional agency hosting fire suppression operations pays the bills. As Oregon enters summer weather conditions, ODF’s fire managers will begin to pull back their personnel from the out-of-state assignments to be ready for wildfires here at home.
Kevin Weeks
Oregon Department of Forestry