By Jayson Jacoby
Baker City Herald
BAKER COUNTY, Ore. — After a summer when wildfires burned more acres in Baker County than ever before, the county’s firefighting capacity will be bolstered for 2025.
Baker County commissioners on Wednesday morning, Dec. 4, voted 3-0 to award a $175,000 bid for five water tanks that can be installed in pickup truck beds, converting the vehicles to mobile fire trucks.
The county received a $190,000 grant from the U.S. Department of the Interior in September to buy the tanks from Cascade Fire Equipment of White City, near Medford.
Jason Yencopal, the county’s emergency management director, said five fire districts will each get one tank — Halfway, Richland, Sumpter, Greater Bowen Valley and Baker Rural.
Three of the tanks hold 300 gallons, and two hold 200 gallons.
Commissioner Christina Witham, noting that the federal grant will cover the entire cost, called the program a “great thing.”
Commission Chairman Shane Alderson agreed.
“I’m excited to have them,” he said. “These are a force multiplier.”
The Interior Department announced Wednesday that a second round of grants, totaling $20 million, is starting. Individual grants range from $10,000 to $500,000. The deadline to apply, through grants.gov, is Feb. 26, 2025 .
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