From Chief Benson of the Ontario Fire & Rescue
At 2:56 PM, OFR was dispatched for a grass fire burning near SE 9th Avenue near the foot trail access to the unsheltered camp. Dispatch indicated that structures were threatened. Rescue 1 (crew of 3), 100 (incident command), and 140 (operations captain), and Brush 156 (crew of two) responded. While in route, 100 ordered a general page and requested a brush truck from Payette and a water tender from Nyssa. OFR arrived to find a fast moving fire headed south, with structures on SE 10th and SE 11th Avenue, and several tents within the camp threatened. Crews focused efforts on protecting structures and the camp. Ontario Police Department assisted with access into the camp and evacuation. Crews were able to stop the fire along the north side of the camp. One tent site, located outside of the camp, was destroyed. There were no injuries. A fire break, constructed by Jacobs last year, helped contain the fire along the east side. Crews from Payette, Fruitland, Nyssa, Parma, and New Plymouth assisted with the operation. The Oregon State Fire Marshal’s Office and Ontario Police Department are currently on scene investigating the cause and origin of the fire. Staffing of Brush 156 was made possible by the OSFM Wildland Staffing Grant.
Fuels are very dry causing fire to move fast. Additionally, the heat creates challenges for firefighters. OFR asks for our community’s assistance in keeping everyone safe from fire this summer season.
