ODF Incident Management Teams
- Team 1 is on rotation.
- Team 2 is on call.
- Team 3 is on rest.
There are approximately 0 personnel assigned to the 0 large fires across the state, not including many of the local and agency government employees, landowners, forestland operators, and members of the community who are contributing every day.
Initial attack remains ODF’s top priority to keep wildfires small. Prompt detection, early response and aggressive initial attack have been limiting fire spread; however, the department cautions that fuels are becoming quite dry and preheated with the current weather and warns against complacency.
ODF Highlight: We do more than fight fires. When a call comes asking for help, we assist. ODF’s Northeast Oregon District proved that when they and the La Grande Fire Department responded to help rescue a kitten stuck in an HVAC duct. The kitten, named Jeffro, was happily reunited with his owner after the team of rescuers located him and brought him to safety!
Weather: Today, expect hot and dry conditions west of the Cascades as temperatures peak. A thermal trough will remain over western Oregon and southwest Washington, providing better than average ventilation potential. Starting Tuesday, the peak hot and dry conditions will shift east of the crest as the thermal trough moves eastward. Gusty general winds will also increase on the east side, coinciding with very low humidity, which will enhance fire weather conditions.
Temperatures will cool on Wednesday, but dry gusty winds will become more widespread, further aggravating the burning environment. Conditions will gradually ease on Thursday. By Friday, low pressure will approach off the coast, bringing rain to the Washington coast by Friday evening. Thunderstorms are expected to develop east of the Cascades on Saturday, though the exact location and intensity of these storms remain uncertain.
Prevention: The Oregon Department of Forestry wants to remind Oregonians that with weather fluctuating across the state, fire is still on the landscape and fire season is still in effect. The department warns the public against complacency as the state moves into peak fire activity months, August and September.
Remaining informed of local fire restrictions is a simple way to prevent you from bringing prohibited fire hazards onto the landscape and from potentially starting the next large wildfire. Remember, the fewer human-caused fires in Oregon we have, the more you’re helping protect Oregon’s natural resources, communities, and firefighters. Find danger levels and restrictions across the state here.
Resources
- ODF wildfire blog and Public Fire Restrictions/Danger Levels map
- Regional situation report and national situation report
- Inciweb (information, photos, videos, and maps from specific incidents)