August 6, 2024 22:20 a.m.

Governor Tina Kotek has invoked the Emergency Conflagration Act in response to the Elk Lane Fire in Jefferson County.

The Jefferson County Fire Defense Board requested assistance with life, safety, and structural fire protection and the state fire marshal concurred with that request.

Kotek said, “I have so much gratitude for the firefighters and other partners on the ground during this unprecedented fire season”. Kotek said, “To date, I have invoked the Conflagration Act for eleven fires. Because of the tireless dedication and coordination across local, state, and out-of-state firefighting agencies, the Elk Lane Fire is currently the only fire exceeding local capacity to protect lives and homes”. Kotek said, “We have a long way to go before the fire season ends, and I remain committed to using every resource available to fight the fires across our state and jumpstart a full recovery”.

The Oregon State Fire Marshal has an incident management team and five structural task forces assigned to the Elk Lane Fire.