Oregon fire agencies sent to California to help battle Kincade, Burris wildfires
Virginia BarredaUpdate 1:50 p.m. Monday
After arriving in California late Sunday, Oregon strike teams were assigned to two different wildfires in the state.
One group — made up of six strike teams and headed by Oregon State Fire Marshal chief deputy Mariana Ruiz-Temple — was sent to the Burris Fire, a 350-acre fire blazing in Mendocino County, according to the state fire marshal's office.
Five of the teams are working to secure lines and mop up the wildfire and one team was assigned to a new incident called the Twin Fire.
The second group — made up of nine teams and led by Tualatin Valley Fire & Rescue assistant chief Les Hallman — responded to the Kincade Fire in Sonoma County, state fire marshal officials said.
As of Monday morning, nearly 200,000 people have evacuated to flee the 66,231-acre fire. Crews are helping mitigate structure threats and build control lines.
Original story
Fifteen wildfire strike teams from Oregon fire departments are on the way to help battle the California wildfires.
The strike teams, made up of nearly 300 firefighters who will assist in protecting structures, were sent from Klamath, Douglas, Yamhill, Linn, Columbia, Clatsop, Benton, Multnomah, Marion, Washington, Clackamas, Lincoln, Jackson, Josephine, and Lane counties.
California wildfires:Amid blackouts, massive fire forces nearly 200,000 to flee homes
California fire officials requested Oregon assistance through a state-to-state mutual aid system Sunday morning.
Marion County's wildfire strike team, consisting of seventeen firefighters from Jefferson, Silverton, Mt. Angel, Drakes Crossing and the Woodburn fire districts — and five brush trucks — departed about 10 a.m. Sunday from Salem Fire Station 6.
The teams will receive their assignments as they arrive in Redding throughout the day, according to Rudy Owens, a spokesman with the Oregon State Fire Marshal.
Crews may be gone as long as 14 days, according to Marion County Fire District 1 officials.
Close to 200,000 Northern California residents were ordered to evacuate Sunday as the roaring Kincade Fire continues to rip through Sonoma County.
The fire broke out Wednesday near a malfunctioning transmissions tower.
With forecasts of wind gusts hitting 85 mph in some areas, Pacific Gas & Electric shut off power to an estimated 2.3 million people across 38 counties starting Saturday evening in the region to prevent more outbreaks of fire.
The fire is an estimated 30,000 acres and is just 10% contained.
Oregon’s structural firefighters were last sent to California to respond to the Camp Fire in Paradise in November 2018.
The story will be updated when more information is available.
USA TODAY reporters Doug Stanglin and Jorge L. Ortiz contributed to this story.
Virginia Barreda is the breaking news reporter with the Statesman Journal She can be reached at 503-399-6657 or at vbarreda@statesmanjournal.com. Follow her on Twitter at @vbarreda2.