by Clark Corbin, Oregon Capital Chronicle
August 13, 2026
Correction: This story was updated at 4:10 p.m. Aug. 14, 2026, to correctly reflect the name of the transmission line. It’s the Boardman to Hemingway transmission line.
Crews building the Boardman to Hemingway transmission line recently repositioned their crews and heavy equipment to help the effort to fight wildfires along the Oregon-Idaho border, company officials said.
Idaho governor, Forest Service chief say significant wildfires are stretching resources thin
Crews and companies with Quanta Services, MG Dyess, PJ Helicopters, Summit Line Construction and Probst Electric all contributed to the effort to help fight wildfires, officials with Quanta Services said in a news release issued Wednesday.
Working in partnership with Idaho Power, the crews and companies cleared land and cut access roads for firefighters and used aircraft to move equipment into the field.
“They showed up with four dozers, water trucks, road blading equipment,” said Angelique Rood, vice president of corporate services and communications at Idaho Power. “At Idaho Power, we pride ourselves on being good neighbors and helpful members of every community we serve. Quanta’s actions to help those neighbors and communities reflect our values.”
In several cases, personnel and crews from the companies volunteered to help out alongside several local community members.
“I live in northeastern Oregon,” said Brett Beveridge, construction manager with Summit Line Construction. “This is my community.”
The response from the construction crews helped protect an estimated 10,000 to 15,000 acres of land.
“Our longstanding partnership with Idaho Power reflects the value of working together to strengthen and support the communities we serve,” Karl Studer, president of electric power at Quanta Services, said in a written statement. “That partnership positioned our crews and equipment to respond quickly when help was needed. Our ability to step up and assist in moments like these is a reflection of the partnership and our shared commitment to the communities we serve.”
Earlier this month, U.S. Forest Service Chief Tom Schultz and Idaho Gov. Brad Little said firefighting resources are stretched thin due to several significant wildfires that are burning in the Western United States.
This story was originally produced by Idaho Capital Sun, which is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network which includes Oregon Capital Chronicle, and is supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity.
Oregon Capital Chronicle is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Oregon Capital Chronicle maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Julia Shumway for questions: [email protected].