A legislative proposal to better fund volunteer rangeland fire crews that played a crucial role in local firefighting in Malheur County will get a public hearing on Tuesday, March 25.
Comprised of local volunteers who are typically ranchers, rangeland fire protection associations were on the front lines of the Cow Valley Fire hours before paid firefighters came on the scene and aircraft dropped fire retardant.
While the Oregon Department of Forestry supports the RFPAs through grants and surplus, the associations are primarily funded by member dues and rely on volunteer hours.
This is why state Rep. Mark Owens, a Crane Republican, introduced House Bill 3349, which would allocate state funds yearly to the associations and allow the state forester to give them vehicles and other firefighting resources. The hearing is scheduled for Tuesday, March 25 at a yet-to-determined time by the House Committee on Emergency Management, General Government and Veterans.
Consisting of 30 to 50 people, the Ironside and Vale rangeland fire associations deploy fire trucks, dozers, tractors and crews to blazes during fire season, according to Kelsey Haueter, chair of the Vale and Ironside associations.
Haueter said the legislation would allow the state forestry agency to provide the fire associations better and newer equipment, including radios, protective equipment and trucks.
She said the current budget for Ironside is a little over $7,000, while Vale’s is about $16,000.
Owens’ bill would set up a Rangeland Protection Association Fund but doesn’t yet establish how much money would be put in. He said there would not be a set amount for each association. Owens said he wants to “capitalize” the fund with as much money as possible. The fund would pay for supplies and equipment based on an association’s specific needs, according to Owens.
“Each RFPA needs are different,” Owens said.
Mark McBride, a member of the Vale association, said people would benefit from the legislation. McBride, who has fought fire for 40 years, noted the volunteer rangeland firefighting program continues to grow and improve. He said it needs additional money as it expands.
“Not for our personal gain,” he said. “It’s for the community’s gain.”
The benefit of putting the tax dollars toward the program is evident on the local, state, and federal levels, according to McBride.
“Every tax dollar that goes into this program, we return in kind,” he said.
Those volunteer hours are put back into the community through fire mitigation, McBride said.
Haueter, who was on the front lines of the county’s wildfires over the summer, said most dues-paying members are also volunteering.
“Mostly, all of us are putting in the money and the time,” she said.
She added that the volunteers help the paid fire crews from outside the area navigate the county’s backroads to reach remote fire.
McBride said that fuel costs are all member-donated and cannot be reimbursed by the state.
“It’s a huge expense,” he said.
According to the pending legislation, the bill is in the House
Owens said those interested in testifying during the March 25 public hearing can email Stacy Clark, his chief of staff at [email protected].
News tip? Send your information to Steven Mitchell at [email protected].
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