SALEM, Ore. – The Oregon Department of Forestry’s six strike teams have been working alongside CalFire to suppress the wildfires in Los Angeles County.
As of this morning, there are three strike teams (which is equal to 15 engines) assigned to the Palisades Fire and three strike teams assigned to the Eaton Fire. Our firefighters’ duties vary, spanning from initial attack to mop up operations.
The rumor that firefighters were held up or denied due to emissions testing is NOT true. Upon arriving at the Sacramento Command Center, ODF engines underwent vehicle inspections for safety purposes. While in California, CalFire is responsible for the safety of our firefighters and took necessary steps to ensure that safety before sending them to the front lines.
A strike team consists of five Type 6 engines with two to four firefighters per engine, plus a strike team leader. In total, the Oregon Department of Forestry deployed 30 Type 6 engines and 70 firefighters.
The Oregon Department of Forestry is extremely proud of the work our firefighters are doing to support California and the “Whatever it takes” attitude that is brought to every task.
ODF’s strike teams’ expenses will be reimbursed by the state of California.