Governor Tina Kotek invoked the Emergency Conflagration Act on the morning of August 5, 2024, 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.
“I have so much gratitude for the firefighters and other partners on the ground during this unprecedented fire season,” Governor 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. We have a long way to go before 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 (OSFM) has an incident management team and five structural task forces assigned to the Elk Lane Fire. Over the last month, the Oregon structural fire service has worked diligently to protect life and property and reduce the wildfire threat to communities.
OSFM continues to send firefighters and equipment outside of a conflagration, and wildland firefighting resources from the Oregon Department of Forestry (ODF) and other states continue to fight for full containment.
Following ORS 476.510-476.610, Governor Kotek determined that a threat to life, safety, and property exists due to the fire, and the threat exceeds the firefighting capabilities of local firefighting personnel and equipment. The governor’s declaration allows the state fire marshal to mobilize resources through the Oregon Fire Mutual Aid System to support local fire service agencies on scene. This conflagration is declared only for the Elk Lane Fire threatening structures in Jefferson County.
A link to Executive Order 24-20 can be found here for the Elk Lane Fire.
The Department of the State Fire Marshal and the Oregon State Fire Marshal Red Incident Management Team will be entering into unified command with the Central Oregon Fire Management Service Type 3 Incident Management Team.
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