SALEM, Ore. – The Oregon State Fire Marshal is mobilizing its Blue Incident Management Team and several task forces to the Rail Ridge Fire in Grant and Crook counties and the Shoe Fly Fire in Wheeler County. Oregon Governor Tina Kotek invoked the conflagration act for both fires Friday.
The Rail Ridge Fire is estimated at 107,371 acres and three percent contained as of Friday morning. The lightning-sparked fire was detected on September 4 and grew rapidly, pushed by extremely hot, dry, and windy conditions over the last few days.
The OSFM Blue Team will be in unified command with California Team 10, a complex incident management team, which took command of the Rail Ridge Fire Friday morning. Earlier this week, the OSFM mobilized two task forces from Central Oregon and Marion County through Immediate Response. These task forces will be joined by three others later this evening.
“The conditions we are seeing on the ground are very dynamic with several fires burning in the region and a cold front is expected to pass through. There’s no real relief in the forecast over the weekend and into early next week,” Oregon State Fire Marshal Mariana Ruiz-Temple said. “The Oregon fire service has been extremely busy over the last few months, and I cannot thank them enough for being ready to respond to help their fellow Oregonians when they need it.”
The Shoe Fly Fire is estimated to be 24,188 acres and six percent contained. It was reported on September 2. The OSFM mobilized two task forces from Clackamas and Multnomah counties through Immediate Response earlier this week. The OSFM Blue Team will work with the Oregon Department of Forestry Incident Management Team 1, which is assigned to the Shoe Fly Fire to provide structural protection support.
These conflagrations mark the 15th and 16th invoked this summer. With extreme heat expected across the state into the weekend, the Oregon State Fire Marshal reminds all Oregonians and visitors to pay close attention to the conditions and take the necessary steps to avoid sparking a wildfire.
About the Emergency Conflagration Act
The Emergency Conflagration Act is invoked by Oregon Governor Tina Kotek, allowing the state fire marshal to mobilize state resources to wildfires to protect life and property.
The conflagration act is invoked following ORS 476.510-476.610 when Governor Kotek determines threats to life, safety, and property exist because of the fire, and the threats exceed the capabilities of local firefighting personnel and equipment.