Oregon Awards $6M for Wildfire Staffing
The Oregon State Fire Marshal says 180 local fire agencies will receive funding to add firefighters and strengthen response during the 2026 wildfire season.
OREGON — The Oregon State Fire Marshal has awarded nearly $6 million in grants to help local fire agencies add response staffing ahead of the 2026 wildfire season.
The agency announced Thursday that its 2026 Wildfire Season Staffing Grant was awarded to 180 local fire agencies across Oregon. Each agency may receive up to $35,000 to bring on extra firefighters through October.
“Over the years, we have offered this grant to the Oregon fire service, and it has been a game changer,” State Fire Marshal Mariana Ruiz-Temple said. “The Oregon fire service has been able to prevent fires from escalating to a much larger, more costly regional or statewide responses.”
Local fire agencies can use the funding to hire seasonal firefighters or pay for additional shift work. The goal is to reduce response times, help keep fires small, and prevent wildfires from affecting Oregon communities.
The wildfire season staffing grant is now in its fifth year. According to the Oregon State Fire Marshal, smaller and rural fire agencies that may rely on volunteer responders are prioritized during the grant process.
The agency says the additional staffing has helped some departments respond not only to wildfires, but also to other life-safety emergencies.
“I can say without hesitation this grant had a direct and immediate impact on our ability to respond to the Alder Springs and Flat fires in 2025,” Fire Chief Sean Hartley with Crooked River Ranch Fire and Rescue said. “The additional personnel funded by the grant meant we had more firefighters available when these large incidents occurred. This support strengthened our operational readiness when it mattered most.”
A list of recipient agencies is available on the Oregon State Fire Marshal’s website. The Oregon Legislature has also allocated funding for the grant in 2027.
The Oregon State Fire Marshal became an independent state agency in July 2023. The agency works with local fire agencies, communities, and other partners to strengthen fire prevention, preparedness, and response statewide.
Cover image provided by OSFM.
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