An official website of the United States government
A .mil website belongs to an official U.S. Department of Defense organization in the United States.
A lock (lock ) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .mil website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

Home : News : Article View
NEWS | Sept. 4, 2015

Oregon Guard Airmen and Soldiers conducting fire cleanup as blazes burn in five Western states

By National Guard Bureau

SALEM, Ore. - Members of the Oregon National Guard are conducting wildfire cleanup operations in support of ongoing firefighting efforts throughout Oregon.;

The Oregon Soldiers are among more than 2,060 personnel on orders in five Western states pitching in to fight the blazes that have made this fire season particularly stubborn.

Gen. Frank Grass, chief of the National Guard Bureau, on Thursday visited Soldiers fighting fires in Washington state.

“When we see the tally at the end of fire season, it’s going to be among the longest,” Grass said in remarks reported by local news media.

Following the activation of the Oregon National Guard by Oregon Gov. Kate Brown in August, approximately 375 Soldiers and Airmen completed training at the Department of Public Safety Standards and Training (DPSST), in Salem, Oregon, and deployed to fire camps throughout the state.

The first group of 125 Oregon Army National Guard Soldiers deployed on August 26 to the Canyon Creek Complex near John Day, Oregon.

An additional 250 Soldiers and Airmen from Oregon National Guard units throughout the state deployed August 30 to firebases in eastern and central Oregon.

The Oregon National Guard has an ongoing agreement with the Oregon Department of Forestry known as Operation Plan Smokey, which stipulates the details of how Oregon National Guard members will be utilized to assist in firefighting efforts. This agreement is reviewed by both agencies annually to remain up-to-date for each fire season.

Besides Washington and Oregon, National Guard personnel are assisting crews in California, Idaho and Montana. Four Modular Airborne Fire Fighting Systems, or MAFFS from California and Wyoming have been enlisted in the firefighting efforts, according to the National Guard Bureau.

Contributing: Oregon National Guard

 

 

Related Articles
LTC Michael Antonas of the Ohio Army National Guard presented a challenge coin Feb. 26 to four Hacking for Defense students at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh for their work on a project to help recruiting efforts.
Ohio Army National Guard Hacking a Recruiting Challenge
By Chierren Denman, | May 23, 2025
PITTSBURGH – The Ohio Army National Guard Recruiting and Retention Battalion partnered with four Hacking for Defense students at Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) to increase Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB)...

U.S. Army National Guard Soldiers with the 166th Regiment - Regional Training Institute completed a Combat Lifesaver course at Fort Indiantown Gap, Pennsylvania, Dec. 16-20, 2024.
Pennsylvania Guard Medical Training Sites Consolidate, Aligning Training Efforts
By Sgt. 1st Class Shane Smith, | May 23, 2025
FORT INDIANTOWN GAP, Pa. — In a significant step toward streamlining Army medical training operations and enhancing readiness, the Medical Simulation Training Center (MSTC) here has consolidated under the 166th Regiment –...

Air Force Gen. Steve Nordhaus, chief of the National Guard Bureau, joins reserve component senior leaders to appear before the Senate Appropriations Committee Subcommittee on Defense during a presidential review of the National Guard and reserve forces fiscal year 2026 budget in Washington, May 22, 2025.
Nordhaus to Senate: ‘National Guard Delivers Incredible Value to America’
By Master Sgt. Zach Sheely, | May 23, 2025
WASHINGTON —Appearing before the Senate Appropriations Committee Subcommittee on Defense Thursday, the National Guard Bureau’s senior leader emphasized the Guard’s value to America.Air Force Gen. Steven Nordhaus, the 30th...