SALEM, OR – The Oregon State Fire Marshal is mobilizing six additional strike teams of water tenders to Southern California. In total, 30 water tenders and 70 firefighters are being sent from Clackamas, Columbia, Coos, Curry, Douglas, Lane, Lincoln, Linn, Morrow, Multnomah, and Umatilla counties.
These tenders from the Oregon fire service will join the 15 strike teams that arrived Thursday and began work Friday morning. These latest teams will leave Saturday afternoon and Sunday morning, take part in a routine safety check to ensure the safety of our first responders, and will receive their assignments from CAL Fire.
“We understand the gravity of the disaster taking place in California and are using the power of the Oregon Fire Mutual Aid System to give our neighbors additional tools to combat these wildfires and protect people and homes,” Oregon State Fire Marshal Mariana Ruiz-Temple said. “Please rest assured our system is designed to ensure adequate coverage for our communities at home while at the same time providing support to those impacted by a disaster.”
A water tender is a standard response tool to wildfires and is a specialized truck designed to carry and deliver large amounts of water. Some of the water tenders mobilizing to California are Oregon’s new tactical tenders that were delivered to local fire agencies through the OSFM Engine Program in 2024.
The Oregon State Fire Marshal has mobilized a total of:
- 21 strike teams
- 75 fire engines
- 30 water tenders
- 370 firefighters
The Southern California area is expecting dangerous fire conditions into next week. For information about the wildfires, visit CAL Fire’s Current Emergency Incidents webpage.
The Oregon Fire Mutual Aid System is made up of the 300+ local structural fire agencies across Oregon. During emergencies, the Oregon State Fire Marshal mobilizes this force to protect people, property and critical infrastructure.
This request came the Oregon Department of Emergency Management and the Emergency Management Assistance Compact. The compact provides help during governor-declared emergencies or disasters by allowing states to send personnel, equipment, and supplies to support response and recovery efforts in other states. The strike teams will be reimbursed directly by California.
