Wildland firefighters will be eligible to receive the COVID-19 vaccine on March 29 according to details released by Oregon Gov Kate Brown's office.
Amidst the pandemic, Southern Oregon declared its earliest fire season in more than fifty years on May 1, 2020. Fire agencies throughout Southern Oregon prepared for the deadly wildfire season by following a best practices document from the Rogue Valley Fire Chief Association in coordination with the State Fire Marshal's Office.
"Last year we had to make some adjustments to make sure that everyone was staying safe, that was implementing social distancing and easier ways for fire crews to spread out at camp as well as on the line," Natalie Weber, public information officer for Oregon Department of Forestry, Southwest Oregon district said.