Banks, Gaston fire agencies awarded state wildfire staffing grants

Banks Fire Department 13 and the Gaston Rural Fire Protection District are among 180 local fire agencies across Oregon awarded 2026 Wildfire Season Staffing Grants by the Oregon State Fire Marshal. The agency announced the grants May 1, distributing nearly $6 million statewide. Each recipient agency can receive up to $35,000 to bring on extra firefighters through October. Local fire agencies can use the funding to hire seasonal firefighters or pay for additional shift work, according to the state fire marshal. The goal is to reduce response times and keep fires small before they can grow into larger, more costly incidents. “We appreciate being considered by OSFM for this opportunity to better serve our community and fire service partners,” the Gaston Rural Fire Protection District said. “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 in a press release. “The Oregon fire service has been able to prevent fires from escalating to a much larger, more costly regional or statewide responses.” The 2026 grants mark the fifth year of the program. Smaller, rural fire agencies that depend on volunteers for response are prioritized in the grant process, the agency said, and dedicated seasonal staff has helped several agencies respond to other life-safety emergencies as well as fires. Fire Chief Sean Hartley of Crooked River Ranch Fire and Rescue, an agency in central Oregon, said the funding made a measurable difference last summer. “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,” Hartley 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.” The Oregon Legislature has allocated funding for a 2027 round of the grant, the state fire marshal said. The press release and recipient list do not itemize award amounts per agency. The Oregon State Fire Marshal’s grants office can be reached at osfm.grants@osfm.oregon.gov or 503-791-1956. The full list of 180 recipient agencies is posted at oregon.gov/osfm/wildfire/Pages/seasonal-staffing-grant.aspx.