June 30, 2021 9:30 a.m. 

Governor Kate Brown has declared a state of emergency, due to the imminent threat of wildfire across Oregon.

Brown said on the heels of record-breaking high temperatures, much of the state is in high or extreme fire danger with red flag warnings in effect for hot, dry, windy conditions and dry thunderstorms. Brown said with the extended forecast in Oregon calling for unseasonably high temperatures with no rain in the forecast, the threat of wildfire is imminent.

Brown said, “Oregon is still recovering from the devastation of last year’s wildfires, which resulted in nine Oregonians losing their lives and thousands more losing their homes”. She said, “With wildfires already sparking this year, it is imperative that we act now to prevent further loss – of life, property, business, and our natural resources”.

Brown said the emergency declaration was issued to ensure every resource is made available for firefighting efforts and to the crews striving to protect the state.

Brown’s release said firefighters and first responders face a number of additional complexities this year including active wildfire recovery operations such as hazard tree removal and rebuilding that impact roadways and access points. Extreme heat adds to the already challenging firefighting landscape.

The Governor’s declaration authorizes the Oregon Department of Forestry, and the Oregon Office of the State Fire Marshal, in coordination with the Oregon Office of Emergency Management, to utilize personnel, equipment and facilities from other state agencies in order to respond to or mitigate the effects of the wildfire emergency.

A link to the state of emergency declaration is posted: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Ci88RBwn8poGnrQ7jz2Vyo-R7w7fkgAf/view