A total of 300 Oregon firefighters and 75 engines are being sent to help protect communities threatened by the Southern California wildfires.
In this provided photo crews from Tualatin Valley Fire & Rescue are deployed to provide wildfire support in California, Jan. 8, 2025.
Courtesy of Kristen Henderson/TVF&R
In this provided photo, firefighters in Clackamas County prepare to head to California to provide support fighting wildfires in Los Angeles, Jan. 8, 2025. The county is sending five engines, as well as staff, to aid in fire suppression efforts.
Courtesy of Clackamas Fire
In this provided photo, fire crews from Lewis and Clark prepare to head to California to provide support fighting wildfires in Los Angeles, Jan. 8, 2025.
Courtesy of Oregon State Fire Marshal
In this provided photo, Portland Fire & Rescue teams load gear as they prepare to head to California and provide wildfire support, Jan. 8, 2025.
Courtesy of Portland Fire & Rescue / OPB
In this provided photo, Central Oregon strike teams prepare to head to California to provide support fighting wildfires in Los Angeles, Jan. 8, 2025.
Courtesy of Oregon State Fire Marshal
In this provided photo, strike teams from Marion County prepare to head to California to provide support fighting wildfires in Los Angeles, Jan. 8, 2025.
Courtesy of Oregon State Fire Marshal
In this provided photo crews from Tualatin Valley Fire & Rescue are deployed to provide wildfire support in California, Jan. 8, 2025.
Courtesy of Kristen Henderson/TVF&R
In this provided photo crews from Tualatin Valley Fire & Rescue are deployed to provide wildfire support in California, Jan. 8, 2025.
Courtesy of Kristen Henderson/TVF&R
In this provided photo crews from Tualatin Valley Fire & Rescue are deployed to provide wildfire support in California, Jan. 8, 2025.
Courtesy of Kristen Henderson/TVF&R
In this provided photo crews from Tualatin Valley Fire & Rescue are deployed to provide wildfire support in California, Jan. 8, 2025.
Courtesy of Kristen Henderson/TVF&R
In this provided photo, firefighters in Clackamas County prepare to head to California to provide support fighting wildfires in Los Angeles, Jan. 8, 2025. The county is sending five engines, as well as staff, to aid in fire suppression efforts.
Courtesy of Clackamas Fire
Firefighters in Clackamas County head to California Jan. 8, 2025 to fight wildfires burning in Los Angeles. The county is sending five engines, as well as staff, to aid in fire suppression efforts.
Courtesy of Clackamas Fire
In this provided photo, firefighters in Clackamas County prepare to head to California to provide support fighting wildfires in Los Angeles, Jan. 8, 2025. The county is sending five engines, as well as staff, to aid in fire suppression efforts.
Courtesy of Clackamas Fire
In this provided photo, Portland Fire & Rescue teams load gear as they prepare to head to California and provide wildfire support, Jan. 8, 2025.
Courtesy of Portland Fire & Rescue / OPB
In this undated provided photo, crews work at the Oregon State Fire Marshal operations center.
Courtesy of Oregon State Fire Marshal
In this undated provided photo, crews work at the Oregon State Fire Marshal operations center.
Courtesy of Oregon State Fire Marshal
The Oregon State Fire Marshal’s Office announced Wednesday it would be sending 15 firefighting crews from Oregon to help fight the wildfires raging in Southern California.
Several wildfires began in the Los Angeles area Tuesday and grew quickly, fueled by powerful winds. The fires destroyed more than 1,000 structures and killed at least five people by Wednesday afternoon.
Oregon is sending a total of 300 firefighters and 75 engines to help protect California communities threatened by the fire. Oregon State Fire Marshal Mariana Ruiz-Temple said the crews come from Clackamas, Clatsop, Lane, Lincoln, Linn, Polk, Marion, Multnomah, Washington, and Yamhill counties, as well as from Central Oregon and the Rogue Valley.
In Lane County, 19 firefighters across several agencies are heading south to help with fire suppression.
“Over the past five years or so here in Oregon, we’ve seen historic wildfire seasons and California has been up here every year assisting us with protecting homes and containing those fires,” said Lane County Fire Defense and Mohawk Valley Fire Chief Steven Wallace. “This is our opportunity to return that favor when Oregon’s out of fire season and not seeing those large fires, to go help our neighbors to the south.”
Wallace said the firefighters, made up of both career and volunteer firefighters, expect to arrive in the L.A. area by noon Thursday. They will focus on preserving life and property, as well as assisting with containment.
“Oregon and California have a strong partnership supporting each other,” Ruiz-Temple said. “We both understand that fire does not recognize map lines, and we are ready to help each other whenever there is a need. During our historic 2024 wildfire season, California sent us help and in their time of need, we are working as fast as possible to lend them support during this emergency.”
California fire officials said they continued to see extreme fire behavior Wednesday morning, and expected little relief as high winds were forecast to continue through Thursday.
The Palisades Fire ravages a neighborhood amid high winds in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood of Los Angeles, Tuesday, Jan. 7, 2025.
Ethan Swope / AP
Firefighters and air resources will continue working to protect the community and infrastructures and gain control over fire containment.
Ruiz-Temple said OSFM will monitor the California wildfire situation and could fill more requests depending on how it progresses.
