Newport firefighters deployed to assist with Dixon Fire

Newport Fire Chief Rob Murphy and firefighter Kaden Keogh have been deployed as members of Task Force 64 in Lincoln County to assist Douglas County with the Dixon Fire, currently burning near Canyonville in southwest Oregon.

Murphy and Keogh will operate one of Newport’s Type 6 engines, which is able to maneuver through and access difficult terrain, making it beneficial for battling wildfires. The Dixon Fire has burned over 1,800 acres and has zero percent containment.

On Monday, Gov. Tina Kotek invoked the Emergency Conflagration Act for this fire, allowing the state fire marshal to mobilize state resources to wildfires to protect life and property. The act may be invoked if the governor determines threats to life, safety, and property exist because of the fire, and the threats exceed the capabilities of local firefighting personnel and equipment.

In a historic year for wildfires in the state, Newport firefighters have been called on to assist in the Elk Lane Fire near Madras, the Larch Creek Fire near Dufur, and the Falls Fire near Burns. Currently, there are 134 active fires in the state, with 35 of them considered large fires. Over 1.2 million acres have burned in Oregon so far this year, more than three times the amount of acreage normally burned at this time of year.

The Oregon Department of Emergency Management has compiled a list of organizations that are collecting funds and resources to aid those impacted which can be viewed at https://wildfire.oregon.gov/Documents/2024-Wildfire-Donation-Information.pdf