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Oregon Department of Forestry-Western Lane District

Protection Program
Western Lane Fire Protection
This is a picture of the Shaw Creek fire at sunrise.
Western Lane District's fire protection program provides fire prevention,  fire detection, pre-suppression and fire suppression.  The District´s headquarters is located in Veneta. District operations are supported by our sub-unit office in Florence.
 

Prevention
This is a picture of Forest Officer Tripp and Smokey Bear team teaching fire prevention to a group of elementary students.
Smokey Bear and Forest Officer Tripp teach fire prevention.
Team Teaching
 Primarily takes place in early spring, forest officers travel around to different elementary schools within the district speaking to school kids about fire prevention.

Fuels Reduction Grant Program
Western Lane District is currently administering three fuels management grants south and west of Eugene with the focus on limiting the spread of fire on private land. In addition to helping landowners with defensible space and Senate Bill 360 compliance involving clearing around homes and driveways. The money also may be used for cost sharing of non-commercial thinning, pruning, or brush removal, particularly on lands in proximity of homes within the grant area. The funding is available only for a limited time or until funds are depleted. This program is being administered by Brian Peterson, give Brian a call at the office, (541)935-228, to see if your property's location qualifies.

 
 Before A Fuels Reduction
Before a Fuels Reduction Grant
 
 
After a Fuels Reduction Grant
 

Senate Bill 360
Senate Bill 360 or more commonly known as SB360 is a program under the Oregon Forestland-Urban Interface Protection Act, that promotes homeowners to self certify their homes for wildland fire protection. Our Salem Headquarters page will describe things in a lot more detail.

Operations
This is a picture of a wildland fire fighter leading a bulldozer operator into the woods to create a fire break during an active fire.
Dozers are highly used, critical resources during fires.
Veneta
Veneta is the main headquarters and dispatch center during fire season. All resources are ordered and dispatched from this office. 20 seasonal fire fighters report here on a daily basis starting in June and continuing until the end of fire season, which is typically mid October but has been known to go longer.

Florence
 Our subunit is located in the city of Florence, 5 seasonal fire fighters are stationed there, as well as one forester officer and our permanet stewardship forester. The Florence crew is dispatched out of the Veneta office and responds frequently to fires along the 101 hwy and undesignated fires during the camping season. They will also assist in mutual responses with the U.S. Forest Service when fires break in the Siuslaw Nationa Forest, which makes up a majority of the western part of our district.

Fire Fighting Jobs With Western Lane
A smiling wildland fire fighter with dirt on her face after a succesful initial attack suppresion.
Western Lane District fills 25 seasonal postions for wildland firefighters each summer. These positions include firefighters and Forest Officers who respond to wildland fires in Western Lane County and Northern Douglas County. Employees report to one of two offices in the District. The main headquarters is located in Veneta and the substation is located on the Florence coast. Although Western Lane District is not able to provide housing for our seasonal employees, Veneta is located just 12 miles west of Eugene, where many of our firefighters are able to find housing.
 
To apply check the State of Oregon Jobs Page at: oregonjobs.org for job opportunities after January 17th, 2012. If you have any questions regarding firefighting jobs at Western Lane, please feel free to contact Tom Soward at (541)935-2283 or email him at tsoward@odf.state.or.us.


Wildland Fire Suppression Specialist-Entry

Wildland Fire Supression Specialist-Entry Job Description                         $12.98 - $18.04 per hour  
 
If you have never been a wildland firefighter before, this position is for you. You will be trained and closely supervised as you learn and perform the skills necessary to fight wildland fires. This postion performs a wide variety of labor intensive tasks as a member of a fire engine crew. Duties may include non-fire project work and also may invlove driving small or medium sized engines.

 
 
 

You must:
     Be 18 years of age
     Have a valid Driver's License
 
Apply: 
On line at: 
http://www.oregonjobs.org  
after January 17th, 2012.
 
Or contact: 
Tom Soward, Wildland Fire Supervisor 
tsoward@odf.state.or.us 
541-935-2283

Wildland Fire Suppression Specialist

Wildland Fire Suppression Specialist Job Description                                $15.10 - $21.71 per hour
For firefighters with wildland firefighting experience, this position offers firefighters a chance to grow and advance through the fire classifications. This position performs a wide variety of labor intensive tasks as a memeber of a fire engine crew. Duties may include non-fire project work and also may involve driving small or medium sized engines as an Engine Crew Boss.

 
 
 
 
You must:
        Be 18 years of age
        Have a valid Driver's License
        Have two summers
       of wildland fire experience
Apply: 
On line at:
http://www.oregonjobs.org 
after January 17th, 2012.
 
Or Contact: 
Tom Soward, Wildland Fire Superviosr 
 tsoward@odf.state.or.us 
541-935-2283

Forest Officer-Entry

Forest Officer-Entry Job Description                                                     $16.45 - $23.89 per hour
 
This position is for the first time Forest Officers. Along with leading fire crews in wildland fire suppression, this position administers Oregon Forest Laws and fire prevention programs.
 

 
 

You must:
     Be 18 years of age
     Have a valid Driver's License
     Have 2 seasons of wildland fire expierence
Apply: 
On line at: 
http://www.oregonjobs.org 
after January 17th, 2012.
 
Or Contact: 
Tom Soward, Wildland Fire Supervisor 
tsoward@odf.state.or.us 
541-945-2283

Forest Officer
Forest Officer Job Description                                                            $19.78 - $28.81 per hour 
This position administers Oregon Forest Laws and fire prevention programs. This position also leads crews in wildland fire suppression.

 You Must:
Be 18 years of age
Have a valid Driver's License
Have 4 seasons as a wildland firefighter
Apply:
On line at:
http://www.oregonjobs.org after January 17th, 2012.
 
Or Contact: Tom Soward, Wildland Fire Supervisor  tsoward@odf.state.or.us 
541-935-2283