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Police identify air tanker pilot killed while fighting Eastern Oregon fire

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1 year ago

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Police identify air tanker pilot killed while fighting Eastern Oregon fire


Authorities have identified the air tanker pilot who died last week while attempting to fight one of a series of large wildfires across Eastern Oregon.

The Grant County Sheriff’s Office announced Sunday that the pilot was James Bailey Maxwell. The 74-year-old flew approximately 24,000 hours during his more than five decades of flying professionally, according to a U.S. Forest Service statement on Facebook.

James Bailey Maxwell, 74, is confirmed by the Grant County Sheriff as the pilot who was killed in a tanker plane crash near Seneca, Ore., while fighting the Falls Fire on July 25, 2024.

Courtesy of the U.S. Forest Service – Malheur National Forest

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Search and rescue teams located the wreckage of Maxwell’s plane the morning of July 26. He had gone missing the previous afternoon, as many aircraft were attempting to get control of the Falls Fire, a megafire blazing through large swaths of Grant and Harney counties.

Firefighting pilot killed in tanker plane crash in Eastern Oregon

His plane was found in a steep, forested area of the fire. The exact location has not been made public. The Federal Aviation Administration and National Transportation Safety Board are investigating the cause of the crash.

As of Sunday, the Falls Fire has grown to cover an area of about 222 square miles (142,307 acres), but is now 57% contained.

The Forest Service did not release more details about Maxwell’s background, but said he had family in Oregon, Idaho and Washington.

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Oregon

Oregon adds another big body on the defensive line in the transfer portal

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4 hours ago

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January 19, 2026

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Oregon adds another big body on the defensive line in the transfer portal


Oregon football is adding size and experience along the defensive line late in the 2026 transfer portal cycle.

Former North Carolina defensive lineman D’Antre Robinson announced his commitment to the Ducks on Sunday night.

Robinson, currently a sophomore, is listed at 6-4, 315 pounds. He appeared in 12 games for Bill Belichick and the Tar Heels in 2025, amassing 38 total tackles including 2.5 for loss and half a sack. He also forced a fumble.

Robinson spent his freshman season at Florida before transferring to North Carolina. Originally a four-star recruit out of Orlando, Florida, he was the No. 36 defensive lineman in the 2024 class and No. 34 player from the state of Florida according to 247Sports’ composite rankings.

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Oregon lost defensive linemen Terrance Green (Alabama), Jericho Johnson (California), Ashton Porter (Houston), Tionne Gray (Notre Dame), and Xadavien Sims (Arkansas) in the portal. Dan Lanning and company seek to build out the team’s depth at the position following those losses.

In addition to Robinson, the Ducks added Louisiana-Monroe defensive lineman Jerome Simmons via transfer.

Oregon’s incoming transfer class stands at 12 total players according to 247Sports, highlighted by Nebraska quarterback Dylan Raiola, UAB wide receiver Iverson Hooks, Minnesota safety Koi Perich, and Ohio State cornerback Aaron Scott Jr., among others.



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Oregon

Weather alert active for Northern Blue Mountains of Oregon and Foothills of the Northern Blue Mountains of Oregon

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16 hours ago

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January 18, 2026

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Weather alert active for Northern Blue Mountains of Oregon and Foothills of the Northern Blue Mountains of Oregon


On Sunday at 11:24 a.m. the National Weather Service issued a special weather statement until 3 p.m. for Northern Blue Mountains of Oregon and Foothills of the Northern Blue Mountains of Oregon.

“Areas of freezing fog of less than a quarter of a mile linger along parts of I-84 near Cabbage Hill, Poverty Flats, and Deadman Pass. Road cameras confirm obscure visibility in the area. Practice extra pre-caution driving habits, such as leaving more space in front of you when traveling. Freezing temperatures could lead to slicking conditions along the roads and sidewalks,” describes the weather service.



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Oregon

Former Oregon defensive tackle Jericho Johnson commits to Cal

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1 day ago

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January 18, 2026

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Former Oregon defensive tackle Jericho Johnson commits to Cal


Former Oregon defensive tackle Jericho Johnson is reuniting with Tosh Lupoi.

Johnson, who has three years of eligibility remaining, committed to Cal on Saturday.

He is the third former UO player to follow Lupoi to Berkeley, joining safety Kingston Lopa and receiver Cooper Perry.

The 6-foot-4, 342-pound Johnson had five tackles and one pass breakup in nine games this season. He did not record a statistic while playing six snaps in two games while redshirting in 2024.

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He is the 21st of 26 UO scholarship players to transfer this offseason to commit elsewhere, joining running backs Makhi Hughes (Houston), Jay Harris (Kansas State) and Jayden Limar (Washington), cornerbacks Jahlil Florence (Missouri), Sione Laulea (Missouri) and Dakoda Fields (Oklahoma) and safeties Kingston Lopa (Cal), Solomon Davis (San Diego State) and Daylen Austin (Arizona), offensive lineman Lipe Moala (Hawaii), receivers Justius Lowe (San Diego State) and Cooper Perry (Cal), defensive linemen Tionne Gray (Notre Dame), Ashton Porter (Houston), Xadavien Sims (Arkansas) and Terrance Green (Alabama), outside linebackers Blake Purchase (Ole Miss) and Tobi Haastrup (West Virginia), quarterbacks Austin Novosad (Bowling Green) and Bryson Beaver (Georgia) and tight end Roger Saleapage (BYU).





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