Oregon Mobilizes Additional Resources to Fight Los Angeles Area Wildfires

Salem, Oregon- The Oregon State Fire Marshal (OSFM) is dispatching six additional strike teams of water tenders to Southern California to assist in combating the ongoing wildfires in the region. This deployment includes 30 water tenders and 70 firefighters from additional counties across Oregon, including Clackamas, Columbia, Coos, Curry, Douglas, Lane, Lincoln, Linn, Morrow, Multnomah, and Umatilla.

These resources join the 15 strike teams that arrived in Southern California on Thursday and began operations on Friday morning. The newly mobilized teams are set to depart on Saturday afternoon and Sunday morning. Upon arrival, they will undergo a routine safety check before receiving assignments from CAL Fire.

“We understand the gravity of the disaster taking place in California and are using the power of the Oregon Fire Mutual Aid System to give our neighbors additional tools to combat these wildfires and protect people and homes,” said Oregon State Fire Marshal Mariana Ruiz-Temple. “Please rest assured our system is designed to ensure adequate coverage for our communities at home while at the same time providing support to those impacted by a disaster.”

Water tenders are critical tools in wildfire response, designed to transport and deliver large volumes of water to areas where it is most needed. Some of the equipment being deployed includes Oregon’s newly acquired tactical tenders, provided to local fire agencies through the OSFM Engine Program in 2024.

To date, the Oregon State Fire Marshal has mobilized:

• 21 strike teams

• 75 fire engines

• 30 water tenders

• 370 firefighters

The Southern California area is expected to face dangerous fire conditions into next week.

This deployment was initiated through a request from the Oregon Department of Emergency Management under the Emergency Management Assistance Compact (EMAC). EMAC facilitates mutual aid during governor-declared emergencies, allowing states to share personnel, equipment, and resources.

All costs associated with Oregon’s response will be reimbursed by California.

The Oregon Fire Mutual Aid System, which comprises over 300 local structural fire agencies, ensures that adequate resources remain available to protect Oregon communities while supporting out-of-state disaster response.