OREGON – With Labor Day weekend here, temperatures are rising and Governor Tina Kotek is reminding Oregonians that fire season is still far from over.
The 10-year average for acres burned in an entire fire season is 640,000 acres, but this year 1.5 million acres have already burned across the state.
Most of the aggressive activity this summer has been in eastern Oregon, with the western side seeing more of a break at the moment.
Governor Kotek said Oregon has received approval for seven FEMA grants, helping the state with “significant levels of reimbursement.”
Approximately 5,000 firefighters are currently dispatched across the state and are experiencing fatigue, working for almost two months straight.
“We’ve been able to protect a lot of communities. But I can tell you, this team and what we’ve been doing this season has been pushed to the brink. Fire seasons are not going to get easier and we as a state need to figure out how to have consistent funding so we can do the work we need to do,” said Kotek.
Oregon has also received help from other states and even other countries like Australia and New Zealand.
As a reminder, while August is coming to an end, fire season in still in full swing and no debris burns are allowed.
© 2024 KOBI-TV NBC5. All rights reserved unless otherwise stated.