Valley Fire Suppression

06/01/2026

05/05/2026

Well done SAR!

53 year old female rescued from Blue Pool

Linn County Sheriff Michelle Duncan reports on Sunday, May 3, 2026, at 12:00 PM, Linn County dispatch received a call of an injured hiker at Blue Pool.

The patient, a 53 year old female from Terrebonne, had severely injured her knee while hiking at Blue Pool. Due to the steep terrain and difficulties accessing the area, Linn County Search & Rescue immediately began mobilizing their technical rope rescue team. The Upper McKenzie Rural Fire District, Lane County Sheriff’s Office Search and Rescue, and Eugene Mountain Rescue responded and assisted in the rescue.

Linn County SAR worked with the Oregon Department of Emergency Management to coordinate support from the United States Coast Guard with a helicopter. SAR members prepared the patient for helicopter transport and the Coast Guard operated a hoist-rescue. The Coast Guard transported the patient to a nearby airfield where she was transported by the Sweet Home Fire District to the Sacred Heart Medical Center at Riverbend in Springfield.

During this call, a separate SAR incident was reported in the Pamelia Lake area of Linn County, and Sheriff Duncan would like to thank the Marion County Sheriff’s Office SAR team for handling this call.

03/18/2026

Good morning family and friends. I don't do this often but I feel the need to make a public service announcement. The word around the wildland fire community says this fire season is forecast to be extremely active. That means more risk to life and property. Knowing this, it is important to take precautions. Clearing or thinning brush and dead and down fuel around your property is necessary to reduce the risk of losing your home to fire. Especially if you live in an area surrounded by foliage and other fuels. It's also important to cut ladder fuels to prevent the fire from climbing and touching which can lead to faster spread due to direct flame impingement and spot fires. Ladder fuels are low hanging branches that could easily ignite from fire on the ground. It may also be necessary to use hand tools or heavy equipment to dig a fire line around your home down to mineral soil. The fire line should be 1.5 to 2 times the hight of the fuel on either side of the line. Preparing a water supply system may also be necessary, especially if your well or city water system is insufficient to provide the volume and pressure needed. This could be a swimming pool or portable water tanks. Of course you will need a pump and plumbing to complete the system. Fine dead or dry fuels such as grass or firewood will need to be removed from under your deck and around structures.
These are just ideas to better protect your home and property from a possible incoming wildland fire. I understand some may not be possible for your area due to limited space or recourses. Another source to look at for defensible space ideas:

https://www.nfpa.org/en/education-and-research/wildfire/preparing-homes-for-wildfire

photo credit: https://ar.casact.org/mitigation-that-matters-a-wildfire-case-study/

12/29/2025

Hello everyone! My end of season post has been delayed a bit. I got distracted with side projects. That being said, another season passed and as usual my crew went above and beyond. This was a short season. The shortest I've experienced as a matter of fact. However, the Rattlesnake Fire did not disappoint. Abundant in views and wildlife, the Colville Reservation was breathtaking. Again, I'd like to give a huge shout out to my crew, Chansaray Hut and Jesse Judy. They answered the call, made sacrifices and worked their tails off. I hope they know by now they have my respect, appreciation and admiration. It takes a special person to leave their life behind to go fight fire with me. Thank you both. I hope you all have had a fantastic holiday season. Until next season! Cheers.

02/19/2025

One thing I'm proud of is earning a living the honest way. Many have lost reward of a hard day's work.

02/18/2025

Valley Fire putting in work

02/05/2025

This is a fantastic organization for kids to get into. Real training, real life experience, and real lives saved. Plus it builds a strong foundation for young men and women to build on.

2025 SEARCH AND RESCUE TRAINING ACADEMY ANNOUNCED

The Linn County Sheriff Sheriff’s Office is recruiting young men and women, ages 14 to 18, to join the Sheriff’s Office Search and Rescue Team and participate in the summer training program.
This will be the 30th Search and Rescue Training Academy in Linn County and will be held June 20 through June 30.

Those who are interested in becoming an integral part of the Sheriff’s Office Search and Rescue mission should have an interest in community service and a desire to be a part of a highly trained and professional life saving organization. The life skills and mentorship by our staff has been an invaluable experience for past SAR members. Many have gone on to become full-time employees!

The application process includes oral board interviews, a background check, and a physical aptitude test. Applicants must attend ONE recruit meeting at the Sheriff’s Office on March 10th, April 14th, or May 5th at 7:00 PM. Additionally, recruits are required to complete an online First Aid and CPR training course provided by the Linn County Sheriff’s Office by June 7th and attend an in-person CPR/First Aid skills class on Saturday, June 7th. On the same day, applicants will participate in a final review and preparation for the academy and must bring all their academy equipment to the CPR/First Aid training for a final equipment check. The SAR academy will provide comprehensive training, including wilderness survival, shelter building, search tactics, first aid/CPR, map and compass navigation, rappelling, and many other essential skills

RECRUIT MEETINGS (Must attend one of the first three meetings)
Monday, March 10 at 7:00 pm
Monday, April 14 at 7:00 pm
Monday, May 5 at 7:00 pm

PHYSICAL APTITUDE TEST (Must attend at least one)
Depart the Sheriff’s Office promptly at 0800 hours. Return at approximately 1200 hours.
Equipment: Recruits will need to wear clothes for the weather and comfortable boots (bring a water bottle). Lunch is provided.
Saturday May 10th 8:00 am to 12:00 pm
Saturday May 17th 8:00 am to 12:00 pm

MANDATORY FIRST AID, BLOODBORNE PATHOGEN, FINAL EQUIPMENT TEST, AND BLS CPR COURSE-SKILLS DAY
The online portion must be completed prior to the Skills Day.
Skills Day- Saturday, June 7th 8:00 am- 5:00pm.
Linn County Sheriff’s Office, Albany

2025 SEARCH AND RESCUE TRAINING ACADEMY
After completing all required elements of the application process, recruits will be notified by one of the Search and Rescue Team Leaders if they have been selected to attend the SAR Training Academy. The dates of the Academy are not negotiable, and attendance is required.
Equipment: See the available equipment list provided with the application, request a list from a Team Leader at one of the recruit meetings, or view it here.
Academy dates: June 20 through June 30, 2025

If you have any questions, please visit https://www.linnsheriff.org/volunteer-programs/search-and-rescue/ or contact Ric Lentz at [email protected].

02/01/2025

I've been doing some cutting/ brush clearing on the side. I've been looking for a side gig for the off season and I think this is it.
I need to work on my face cut but overall it went well.

01/28/2025

A friendly reminder to utilize your safety equipment. Even when my ego says I don't need it, I decided to put them on for safety's sake and it saved my kneecap. Stay safe out there.