MONUMENT – (Press Release from ODF IMT 1)

Oregon Department of Forestry Incident Management Team 1, Incident Commander Joe Hessel, received a briefing this afternoon from local resources as transfer of the fire begins.

Incident Management Team 1 was recently deployed to the Salt Creek Fire, had mandatory rest, and is now assuming command of the Boneyard fire within 24 hours’ notice of the need.

The Boneyard fire faces critical weather and fire behavior as hot temperatures and low relative humidity is forecast throughout the week.

Crews and resources have been ordered to increase personnel and equipment to fight the Boneyard Fire.

The Boneyard Fire is currently 8,285 acres and was started by lightning.

Closure: The Bureau of Land Management has closed public lands along the John Day River from Kimberly to Dale, and from Kimberly to Service Creek. This is to allow firefighters to work without interference.

Road Closures: A closure remains in effect for Highway 395, between mile posts 50 through 90, beginning 35 miles South of Pilot Rock.

Evacuations: Level 2 (Be Set) and Level 3 (Go Now) evacuations are in effect. For updated evacuation information, visit the Grant County Emergency Management Office’s Facebook page, https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100068819321423, or sign up for the Grant County  Emergency Alert System at https://member.everbridge.net/825462649520134/login.

For current fire restrictions, go to https://gisapps.odf.oregon.gov/firerestrictions/PFR.html. For current fire info, go to www.odfcentraloregon.com.

To many Oregon Football fans, it may feel hard to believe that it’s been two years since Oregon Duck tight end Spencer Webb passed away in a cliff-diving accident near Triangle Lake. Webb’s passing rocked the college football community, especially his teammates that played alongside him.

Since Webb’s untimely death, Oregon Football head coach Dan Lanning began a new tradition to honor Webb. Every year, towards the end of summer workouts, the team summits Spencer’s Butte, a popular hiking spot in Lane County that coincidentally bears the same name as Webb.

“Hey listen, this is something we do every single year,” Lanning said in the beginning of the recent video posted to Oregon Football’s X account, “On your way up, you’re thinking of everyone that got you here.”

The video then plays a previous interview with Webb, as he recounts how the people in his life helped him get to his dream: playing for Oregon. As Webb’s interview plays, shots of Oregon athletes climbing the trail are stitched together.

The caption of the video, “More than just a hike. Every step has a purpose,” highlights the message behind this tribute.

“You can’t get up here without thinking about our fallen brothers,” Lanning says when the team reaches the top of the butte.

Lanning then mentions Webb, as well as Khyree Jackson, a recent Oregon Duck corner and NFL Draft pick who was tragically killed in a car accident on July 6. The team then gathers together before heading back down the trail.

Two tight ends that worked alongside Webb are still at the university: junior Terrance Ferguson and redshirt senior Patrick Herbert. Ferguson was shown quite a few times in this tribute video.

Webb was a redshirt junior for the Oregon Ducks when he passed away. After recovering from an injury in the 2020 season and coming back with a heightened presence on the field in 2021, Webb was expected to be an even bigger influence the next year. He recorded four touchdowns, 31 catches, and 296 yards in his career with the Ducks.

He was 22 years old.

The Oregon Land Use Board of Appeals has reversed a change to fire protection requirements implemented by the Josephine County Commissioners.

Last February, county commissioners relaxed local fire protection requirements, so that some homeowners no longer had to prove they were included in a fire district to protect their home in case of fire.

The Ashland land-use nonprofit Rogue Advocates appealed that decision, arguing it violates both state law and the county’s own goals for reducing fire risk.

That argument was upheld by the land use board last Friday. In the board’s opinion, it said that the county needs to require new home construction and major renovations to prove they have fire protection.

Josephine County considers relaxing fire protection requirements for residents not living on forest lands

The board found that the county was wrong in saying that forest fire protection already provided to homeowners by the Oregon Department of Forestry meets the state’s requirement. ODF has stated that they provide fire protection on forestlands, not protection of buildings.

“The county’s reading of the JCC [Josephine County Code] to not reflect a concern with protecting structures is inconsistent with the stated intent of the chapter to reduce threats to human life and safety and to structures, as well as wildlands,” the board said.

The opinion refers to the chapter of county code changed by commissioners earlier this year. The chapter is intended to, “Reduce threats to human life and safety, to structures and to wild lands, and to improve access in emergencies.”

Josephine County residents renew calls for fire protection in unincorporated communities

During oral arguments on June 18, Assistant County Counsel Stephanie Nuttall said the county agrees that houses should have some form of protection, which is the goal of the other sections of the chapter. They argued that the section they changed was under the purview of ODF.

The decision to change the code by county commissioners is related to ongoing struggles to provide fire protection for around 35,000 rural Josephine County residents, who don’t live within a fire district.

Because the changes were reversed, the original requirements are now back in effect. Homeowners will again have to prove they either live in a fire district, pay for protection from a private firefighting company or have a plan and equipment needed to fight a fire on their own.