October 2, 2020 9:25 a.m.

Oregon State Fire Marshal Mariana Ruiz-Temple has mobilized firefighting resources to assist with the coordinated response to the wildfires in California, following a request made by that state to Oregon.

OSFM activated its Agency Operations Center and sent six task forces with equipment and personnel to join ongoing firefighting efforts.

Mobilized strike teams came from Clatsop, Lane, Linn, Marion, Washington and Yamhill counties. As of Thursday, California was managing 24 major wildfires across the state, having already recorded 3.9 million acres burned this year, impacting thousands of residents and having incidents threaten lives and structures.

The OSFM release said the pacific northwest stepped down to preparedness level 3 on Thursday. That means the potential for emerging wildland fires is normal for this time of year and there is adequate availability of firefighting resources and decreased fire activity in the state.

Oregon’s structural firefighters mobilized by the OSFM were last sent to California in August, when three task forces with more than 50 personnel went on a two-week deployment in the Napa Valley area. This is the fourth year in a row that OSFM has mobilized resources and deployed them to California, following requests made by that state.