Oregon Governor Tina Kotek invoked the Emergency Conflagration Act Monday evening for the Smith River Complex on the California/Oregon border. The move allows the Oregon State Fire Marshal (OSFM) to send structural firefighters and equipment to help protect life and property.
On Thursday, August 24, the OSFM sent two structural task forces through Immediate Response to boost firefighting capacity in the Illinois Valley. With the fire declared a conflagration, the OSFM is mobilizing additional firefighters, equipment, and an incident management team to provide structure protection for homes threatened by the fire. The Smith River Complex began in California and has burned across the state line into Oregon. Level 3 evacuation orders are in place in Josephine County.
In accordance with ORS 476.510-476.610, Governor Kotek determined the fire posed a threat to life, safety, and property, and the threat exceeded the firefighting capabilities of local firefighters and equipment. The governor’s declaration cleared the way for the state fire marshal to send additional firefighters and equipment to assist local resources to the fire and support a coordinated response.
The OSFM’s Blue Incident Management Team will be briefed and assume unified command of the Smith River Complex on Tuesday, August 29 at 8 a.m. The additional task forces are coming from other counties around the state through the Oregon Fire Mutual Aid System.
