Oregon Dept. of Forestry

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News Release

MEDIA ADVISORY: Adults In Custody To Receive Firefighting Training At South Fork Forest Camp May 13 (Photo Opportunity) - 05/11/26

What: Oregon Departments of Forestry and Corrections will be training more than 100 adults in custody (AICs) in various areas of wildland fire fighting for the upcoming season. These 10-person crews will then be qualified to deploy to fires and, during extreme fire danger events, will be pre-positioned in high threat areas to reduce response times.  

 

Visuals: See AICs rotate between four training stations: (All four stations will be going at the same time so news media can rotate between them as desired—these are all hands-on stations.)

 

Station #1 Pumps/Hose lay—AICs will receive a tour of an engine, learn to operate a Mark III pump, and construct a progressive hose lay.

 

Station #2 Fire Shelter Deployment—AICs will watch a 25-minute video in the tree cooler then deploy a practice fire shelter on the softball field.

 

Station #3 Handline construction/Tools—AICs will learn how to construct handline and will learn about each hand tool used in fire line construction.

 

Station #4 Mop-up—We will light burn piles and AICs will learn the process of mopping up after a fire.

 

People on-site available to interview: Various AICs participating in the training, ODF staff giving the training, and Forestry and Corrections staff who are assigned and work at South Fork. ODF will also have experts available to talk about May being Wildfire Awareness Month and general information on the upcoming fire season.

 

When: May 13

 

Where: South Fork Forest Camp in the Tillamook State Forest. 48300 Wilson River Hwy, Tillamook, OR 97141-9799. It’s about 1.5 miles up a gravel road after the turnoff from the highway.

 

Time: Meet at 9:30 a.m. (If you come at a later time, we will do our best to get you to all four stations, but you might miss a rotation or two.)

 

Please send an RSVP by May 12. RSVP to derek.gasperini@odf.oregon.gov. For more information on the fire training contact: Derek Gasperini, ODF public affairs, for South Fork or corrections-related information contact Amber Campbell amber.r.campbell@doc.oregon.gov,  DOC public affairs. (Note: Likely cells phone will not have coverage at South Fork.)

 

Special note: All AICs have signed photo releases. Some may not want to be interviewed; however, we will have several that will be available.

 

Background:

Oregon Department of Forestry : Adults in custody rehabilitation : Forest benefits : State of Oregon

Department of Corrections : Locations and Divisions : About Us : State of Oregon

 

MEDIA ADVISORY: Adults In Custody To Receive Firefighting Training At South Fork Forest Camp May 13 (Photo Opportunity) - 05/11/26

What: Oregon Departments of Forestry and Corrections will be training more than 100 adults in custody (AICs) in various areas of wildland fire fighting for the upcoming season. These 10-person crews will then be qualified to deploy to fires and, during extreme fire danger events, will be pre-positioned in high threat areas to reduce response times.  

 

Visuals: See AICs rotate between four training stations: (All four stations will be going at the same time so news media can rotate between them as desired—these are all hands-on stations.)

 

Station #1 Pumps/Hose lay—AICs will receive a tour of an engine, learn to operate a Mark III pump, and construct a progressive hose lay.

 

Station #2 Fire Shelter Deployment—AICs will watch a 25-minute video in the tree cooler then deploy a practice fire shelter on the softball field.

 

Station #3 Handline construction/Tools—AICs will learn how to construct handline and will learn about each hand tool used in fire line construction.

 

Station #4 Mop-up—We will light burn piles and AICs will learn the process of mopping up after a fire.

 

People on-site available to interview: Various AICs participating in the training, ODF staff giving the training, and Forestry and Corrections staff who are assigned and work at South Fork. ODF will also have experts available to talk about May being Wildfire Awareness Month and general information on the upcoming fire season.

 

When: May 13

 

Where: South Fork Forest Camp in the Tillamook State Forest. 48300 Wilson River Hwy, Tillamook, OR 97141-9799. It’s about 1.5 miles up a gravel road after the turnoff from the highway.

 

Time: Meet at 9:30 a.m. (If you come at a later time, we will do our best to get you to all four stations, but you might miss a rotation or two.)

 

Please send an RSVP by May 12. RSVP to derek.gasperini@odf.oregon.gov. For more information on the fire training contact: Derek Gasperini, ODF public affairs, for South Fork or corrections-related information contact Amber Campbell amber.r.campbell@doc.oregon.gov,  DOC public affairs. (Note: Likely cells phone will not have coverage at South Fork.)

 

Special note: All AICs have signed photo releases. Some may not want to be interviewed; however, we will have several that will be available.

 

Background:

Oregon Department of Forestry : Adults in custody rehabilitation : Forest benefits : State of Oregon

Department of Corrections : Locations and Divisions : About Us : State of Oregon