Oregon
Oregon Department of Forestry Incident Management Team 1 sent to Boneyard Fire – Elkhorn Media Group
![Oregon Department of Forestry Incident Management Team 1 sent to Boneyard Fire – Elkhorn Media Group Oregon Department of Forestry Incident Management Team 1 sent to Boneyard Fire – Elkhorn Media Group](https://bucket-elkhorn-media.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/24060150/ODF-WIDLFIRE-FUNDS.jpg)
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.
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Oregon
Oregon Ducks Football Continues Spencer Webb Tribute Hike
![Oregon Ducks Football Continues Spencer Webb Tribute Hike Oregon Ducks Football Continues Spencer Webb Tribute Hike](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_crop,w_5760,h_3240,x_0,y_2002/c_fill,w_1440,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/images/ImagnImages/mmsport/ducks_digest/01j399r17kpdx2rjmh1k.jpg)
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.
Oregon
Oregon state board reverses changes to Josephine County fire protection code
FILE – View of I-5 from London Peak Scenic Overlook, May 2, 2017
Courtesy of Greg Shine / Bureau Of Land Management
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.
Oregon
Fact or Fiction: Oregon could finish with the No. 1 class
1. Oregon is the biggest threat to overtake Ohio State atop the 2025 team rankings.
© Chris Pietsch/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK
Young: FACT. The Ducks are presently fourth in the Rivals.com Team Recruiting Rankings and are surging by the week. Combine a staff led by head coach Dan Lanning that has proven to be relentless in pursuit of its top targets — the Ducks have already won some major recruiting battles they weren’t pegged to win a few months ago, like for five-star running back Jordan Davison — and the kind of NIL backing needed nowadays to recruit with the best in the country, and that’s the recipe needed to truly recruit at an elite level.
Since June 25, Oregon has landed commitments from five Rivals250 four-star prospects and two five-stars in Davison (No. 2 RB and No. 18 overall) and receiver Dakorien Moore (No. 1 WR, No. 4 overall). The Ducks are stacking talent across the field, and even after losing out to LSU this week for five-star athlete DJ Pickett they’re far from done while looking strong for five-star safeties Jonah Williams and Trey McNutt and four-star top-100 receiver Michael Terry. Whether Oregon does or does not ultimately get to No. 1 this cycle, the Ducks have everyone’s attention and are definitely a top threat for that spot.
Levenson: FACT. I thought about this for a moment and was very close to going with fiction and siding with Alabama as the biggest threat. But there was one key aspect that leaves to me go with Oregon. The Ducks are currently No. 4 in the 2025 class and looking at the top five, Oregon has the fewest commits by a fairly wide margin.
Ohio State (24), Alabama (22), Georgia (20), Oregon (16), and Notre Dame (21) makes for an interesting look at what the future holds. Ohio State does not have many additions left for the year. Alabama at 22 and Notre Dame at 21 are in the same boat. Georgia is in a bit a decent spot for some more growth but Oregon with just 16 leaves so much room to grow. And looking at prospects like Williams, McNutt, and Terry are just three possibilities. There remains so major prospects around the country who could very well end up in Eugene. With so much room to grow and a number of elite prospects with real interest, they are set to make big moves up the ranks.
*****
2. LSU-Alabama will still be a heated rivalry in the post-Nick Saban era.
© John David Mercer-USA TODAY Sports
Powell: FACT. To say that the LSU-Alabama rivalry just won’t be the same without Nick Saban leading the Crimson Tide would be a big understatement. But it’s hardly the demise of this long storied series. We’re talking about a rivalry that dates back to Grover Cleveland’s time in the White House, a time where Theodore Roosevelt was president of the New York City Police Board, six years before he became the 26th President of the United States. There’s a lot of history in this series.
Some say that history tends to repeat itself. If that’s true, you could make an argument that the rivalry could become even more heated. The height of this rivalry has been over the last 40 years, following the retirement of another Alabama legend in Bear Bryant in 1982. While Alabama is saying goodbye to another legend this season, the next chapters of this century old rivalry have yet to be written. But the characters in those stories are not as important as the stories themselves.
This rivalry doesn’t need a Bear Bryant or Nick Saban to be one of the most heated rivalries in college football, it just needs the first Saturday in November.
Levenson: FACT. I think Powell described this situation perfectly. There was always an added layer to the rivalry between the two SEC powers given that Saban was once a national championship winning coach in Baton Rouge before eventually ending up at Alabama. However, that only added to the fire that was already burning. LSU has seen a rotation of quarterbacks over the past 20 years and you could argue the passion is added to as LSU fans hope and expect for a new coach to get the best of their biggest rival.
Now, with Kalen DeBoer at the head of the Tide, both fanbases are eager to see how this will play out. Alabama is looking to prove DeBoer belongs in this role to take down the likes of LSU and other SEC foes. Meanwhile LSU is looking to capitalize on what they are calling a potential downfall of Alabama with Nick Saban no longer at the helm.
I fully expect the 2024 rendition of the rivalry and beyond to be the normal level of craziness and passion we are used to.
*****
3. Texas A&M is the team to beat for 2026 four-star ATH Dequane Prevo.
Rosow: FACT. Texas A&M has seemingly been the program getting most of his attention for the past few weeks. It starts with the multiple visits he’s taken to College Station and is added to by the fact that he loves his relationship with coach (Holmon) Wiggins and believes in Mike Elko’s vision for him. I believe the talented wide receiver will end up committing to the Aggies.
Levenson: FACT. Dequane Prevo announce a commitment date of July 30 recently with a top schools of Texas A&M, USC, Arkansas, Penn State, and Baylor. Immediately upon putting out the news, I went ahead and logged a FutureCast for Texas A&M to land his commitment.
With an early commitment coming, I felt the Aggies were the clear answer at this time. They are the program he has visited most to this time, going back to 2022. He was most recently on campus in College Station on June 20, where Prevo was able to spend time with head coach Mike Elko. With just two weeks before a decision, Prevo looks like he is heading to Texas A&M as of now.
Editor’s Note: This article first appeared on Rivals.com, the leader in college football and basketball recruiting coverage. Be the first to know and follow your teams by signing up here.
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