Oregon Army National Guard assists local communities with Wildland Fires

Oregon Military Department

SALEM, Ore. - The Oregon National Guard has been responding to five separate counties with wildland fire and search and recovery efforts employing seven aircraft to include, UH-60 Blackhawk and UH-72A Lakota helicopters directly assisting local counties.

With situations continuing to change, the Oregon National Guard is monitoring the ongoing conditions to respond and support local agencies when requested. The Oregon National Guard has three teams of 125-members red card trained and on standby to support wildland fire efforts.

Video B-roll/imagery of recent operations and training:

200822-Z-CM403-004:  Oregon Army National Guard UH-60 Blackhawk pilot, Chief Warrant Officer 2 Michael Newgard and crew chief, Staff Sgt. Elana Cleveland from G/1-189 Aviation (MEDEVAC) out of Salem, Oregon, prepare the water bucket for aerial drops, Madras Municipal Airport, Oregon, Aug. 22, 2020. The unit helicopters are activated for a two-week span assisting the Oregon Department of Forestry and local agencies with forest fires that are currently taking place in Eastern Oregon. (Oregon National Guard photo by Tech. Sgt. Aaron Perkins, Oregon Military Department) 


200822-Z-CM403-011: Oregon Army National Guard Blackhawk Pilot in command, Chief Warrant Officer 4 Joe Zeiner, (left ) from G/1-189 Aviation (MEDEVAC) out of Salem, Oregon, approaches a giant smoke plume in flight for aerial water drop operations, Eastern, Oregon, Aug. 22, 2020. The helicopters are activated for a two-week span assisting the Oregon Department of Forestry and local agencies with forest fires that are currently taking place in Eastern Oregon. (Oregon National Guard photo by Tech. Sgt. Aaron Perkins, Oregon Military Department)


200822-Z-CM403-01: Trees burn as forest fires continue in Eastern Oregon. Aug. 22, 2012. UH-60 Blackhawk helicopters from the Oregon Army National Guard’s G/1-189 Aviation (MEDEVAC) out of Salem, Oregon, landed in Madras Municipal Airport to help assist with aerial water drops as well as possible medivac operations. The helicopters are activated for a two-week span assisting the Oregon Department of Forestry and local agencies with forest fires that are currently taking place in Eastern Oregon. (Oregon National Guard photo by Tech. Sgt. Aaron Perkins, Oregon Military Department)




ONG-200908-001-002: A UH-60 Blackhawk returns the Army Aviation Support Facility, Salem, Ore., Sept. 8, 2020, after responding to local wildfires. (National Guard photos by Paul Rushing, Oregon Military Department Public Affairs)

More photos from this event can be found on the Oregon National Guard Flickr page.
https://flic.kr/s/aHsmQe8KGA

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