All five of the Office of State Fire Marshal (OSFM) task forces, sent to California this week, are working in a coordinated response with a California-based incident management team at the LNU Lightning Complex fire in and around the Napa Valley.
California Department of Forestry & Fire Protection (Cal Fire) officials in the Sonoma-Lake-Napa Unit, covering the Napa Valley, are managing the coordinated, interagency fire response.
As of this morning, Cal Fire reports that the LNU Lightning Complex fire covers 219,067 acres and was 7 percent contained. Cal Fire reports that the fire has damaged 125 structures and destroyed 480 residential, commercial and other structures.
The OSFM mobilized the task forces following a request through the Emergency Management Assistance Compact (EMAC) from California. The EMAC request is sent directly to the Oregon Office of Emergency Management.
Three task forces from Linn, Marion and Clatsop counties left their jurisdictions on Aug. 19 and two task forces from Lane and Klamath counties left their jurisdictions on Aug. 20. All told, 86 personnel from Oregon’s structural firefighting agencies are deployed, to provide structural firefighting and all-hazards assistance.
The current deployment marks the fourth year in a row that the OSFM has mobilized task forces through the OFMAS and deployed them to support firefighting efforts in California, following requests made through the EMAC.
In late October and November 2019, the OSFM sent 15 strike teams to respond to multiple fires in northern California, including the Burris Fire in Mendocino County, the Kincade Fire in Sonoma County and the Ranch Fire in Tehama County.
In 2018, the OSFM sent three strike teams to the Mendocino Complex Fire starting in late July 2018, and then another 15 strike teams to the Camp Fire in November 2018. In October 2018, also through an EMAC request, the OSFM sent two incident management teams to Florida to respond to Hurricane Michael.
In November 2017, the OSFM mobilized 15 strike teams to respond to an EMAC request from California to fight wildfires. In December 2017, California sent another request for assistance on the Thomas Fire, near Ventura. The OSFM sent 15 strike teams in response.