Category Fire
As wildfires grow, poor, elderly disproportionately affected
People exposed to wildfires in Oregon and other western states are more likely to live in mobile homes and have disabilities, a new study found.
City drops legal fight over Salem firefighter’s 2019 cancer death
City leaders said Monday they would not contest survivor benefits for the widow of a former Salem firefighter who died of cancer in 2019.
Cause of Vitae Springs Fire ruled ‘undetermined’ a year later
Residents in the area of the 2022 Vitae Springs Fire said at the time that evacuation alerts left them confused and uncertain about conditions. City officials say now they have improved their emergency messaging system since the southwest Salem fire to provide quicker and clearer public information.
Salem man accused of deliberately starting fire at St. Joseph Catholic Church
A man with a lengthy criminal history has been arrested on accusations of first-degree arson after police say he started a dumpster fire early Thursday morning that spread to the St. Joseph church building in Salem.
St. Joseph’s congregation grieves, prays after arson damages Salem sanctuary
After an early morning five-alarm fire extensively damaged the St. Joseph church sanctuary, parishioners gathered in the rain outside for a noon mass Thursday. Police arrested a man on suspicion of arson.
Fire on central Salem railroad tracks contained
Salem firefighters responded Wednesday morning to a fire on the railroad tracks near 12th & Union St. No one was injured.
Liberty Fire contained after burning 25 acres, threatening hundreds of homes
A fast-spreading grass fire that came close to south Salem subdivisions Wednesday was controlled within hours thanks to help from a nearby construction crew, air support and over 100 firefighters. Fire crews are monitoring the area as Salem’s forecast calls for high temperatures and low humidity in the coming days.
Oregon emergency officials look to 2020 wildfires for lessons learned
State officials said more needs to be done to share data between agencies when responding to wildfires so survivors see fewer delays and don't have to repeat their stories dozens of times.
As Oregon fires rage, Chavez-DeRemer joins push for higher firefighter pay
Federal wildland firefighters received temporary raises last year that are set to expire at the end of September. A bipartisan group is pushing to make raises permanent.