Estacada was told to turn off their sprinkler systems and evacuate by the County Emergency Operations Center “because the fire has become too difficult to control and therefore too dangerous to fight. They pulled all firefighters off the fire-lines and out of Estacada. At this point there will be no firefighters protecting the City.”

Residents are furious that the Super Tanker plane sets idle waiting for the Governor’s order. They see this as a repeat of the Columbia River Gorge fire three years ago when Governor Brown refused to send up the Super Tanker claiming it cost too much money.

Earlier this year six of the state’s largest CH-47 Chinook military helicopters operated by the Oregon National Guard that could have helped fight the wildfires were sent to Afghanistan. Seven other military aircraft are assisting in search and rescue and four are carrying water.

In April, Governor Brown sent 140 ventilators to New York only to turn around later and accuse President Trump for not sending Oregon ventilators.

This generosity does not relay security for Oregonians that should be government’s priority. The lack of control from riots and now the lack of providing the assets to drive back fires leaves Oregonians shaking their heads. Can we find our way back to prosperity and recovery under this administration?


--Donna Bleiler

Post Date: 2020-09-11 09:29:42