November 14, 2023 3:00 a.m.

Though fire season has subsided in Oregon, other parts of the country are strained for resources as they hit their peak.

A release from the Oregon Department of Forestry said in the last week, it has sent 68 firefighters to Kentucky and 10 to North Carolina to assist in their fire suppression efforts. The department is planning on sending more firefighters to both states this week.

The resources were deployed under mutual assistance agreements between the states. Those sent range from incident management team members to single resources, which can be an individual, a piece of equipment and its personnel complement, or a crew/team of individuals, giving a wide variety of help to Oregon’s partner states.

The release said when wildfire activity is low in Oregon, such as during the rainy fall, firefighters can be spared to help in places experiencing high levels of wildfire. Before committing to any deployment, ODF makes sure that Oregon’s own fire management system is prepared and ready to respond to fires in the state.

Blake Ellis, fire operations manager, said “During our peak season, Oregon can and has called on other states to send firefighters and equipment when wildfires exceed our local capacity. The hope with these deployments is to build strong relationships so when we need help, other states will answer our call to action”.

During the 2023 fire season, Oregon received over 80 firefighters from out of state to help with ODF fire support and the Tyee Ridge Complex in Douglas County.