Burns Fire Department

09/03/2026

Today, we said goodbye to our Ladder 109.

As you know we obtained a 75ft Quint "L112" that replaced our older 100ft stick ladder "L109".

L109 was donated to the Johnday Fire Department. It was a bitter sweet moment, but we know it will serve the community of Johnday very well like it has done for us. This will be Johnday Fires first aerial apparatus.

09/03/2026

Today, around 0626 hrs. Burns Fire Department was paged to the area of S. Date for a report of a 5th wheel on fire that was threating nearby structures. Burns fire command 100 and engine 101 arrived on scene shortly after to fire already inside the nearby commercial stucture.

Hines Fire Department was mutual aided to help with fire suppression efforts and water tender shuttle operations.

With firefighting operations to dangerous for firefighters to enter the building, Burns Fire Laddder 112 was a key factor in helping put out the fire with aerial ladder water operations.

This was L112's first call to service to our community since it was put into service exactly one week from today.

During firefighting operations, Harney District EMS arrived on scene to support firefighter safety.

After the fire was extinguished, Burns Police Department, Hines police Department, Oregon State Fire Marshal Deputy and Oregon state Police arrived to assit with investigation efforts.

The scene is still under investigation at this time and no injuries were reported.

08/27/2026

In what has become a time honored tradition, members of our department gathered together last night for a "push in ceremony" to officially bring our Ladder 112 into service.

The ceremony follows a tradition in the fire service that dates back to the 1700s when firefighters had to push their hand drawn apparatus back into the station after each call.

Our "Quint" Ladder truck will greatly benefit our communities by being a dual purpose emergency vehicle that combines the features of a traditional fire engine and an aerial ladder truck.

We would like to thank the City of Burns Manager and office staff for making this possibly, Coos Bay Fire Department for the opportunity to obtain this truck and to The Hines Truck Shop for spending countless hours going over the truck and fixing some known issues so we could put this Ladder truck in service to protect our communities. We are very greatful for this new resource.

08/20/2026

On the 11th and 12th of August 2026, Burns Fire Department worked with High Desert Partnership youth internship program in making our communties even safer. These young adults worked very hard and diligently in wildland fuel mitigation projects. We are very proud in there success and hardwork.

Although this program was mainly for wildand fire, a group that we had showed high levels of interest in the structure and rescue side of emergency response. After they completed there tasks for the day we was able to accommodate them with a class on vehicle extrication. Each member was fitted for the proper PPE and preformed basic vehicle extrication techniques. We are very proud of these young adults.

We would like to say thank you to the youth that participated in this program and the High Desert Partnership for making this a success.

08/19/2026

On August 17, 2026 around 1500 hours, Burns Fire Department was dispatched to the 700 block of South Kearney for a report of a structure fire. Command 100 arrived on scene to quickly discover the start of the fire was due to a "thermal runaway" from Lithium Ion Batteries that spread inside the structure. Burns E101 arrived on scene to extinguish the fire. Hines Fire Department was mutual aided to assist. Hines T1, E4 and more Burns Fire resources arrived on scene to help with overhaul operations/ removal of the batteries from the structure. No injuries were reported.

Thermal runaway is an unstoppable chain reaction where a device, most commonly a lithium-ion battery, heats up on its own past a safe point. The high heat speeds up internal chemical reactions, creating even more heat until the device catches fire, leaks toxic gas, or bursts.

Causes of Thermal Runaway

*Internal short circuit: Damage or factory defects break the thin separator inside the battery.

*Overcharging: Forcing too much power into the battery raises its temperature.

*Physical damage: Crushing or piercing the battery breaks its internal layers.

*External heat: Exposing the battery to very hot environments.

Signs and Dangers

*Extreme heat: Temperatures can shoot past 400°C (752°F) in seconds.

*Venting: The battery swells and shoots out hot, toxic, and explosive gases.

*Fire: It creates intense fires that are very hard to put out because the battery makes its own oxygen.

08/18/2026

On Sunday, Aug 16th Burns Fire Department and Hines Fire Department was mutual aided to the Picture Rock Fire in Lake County. Burns Engine 103, Hines Tender 1 and a command vehicle went enroute to assist Silver Lake Fire and Rescue RFPD with the call. Crews arrived later that evening and spent the night. Heavy air support made quick work stopping forward progress of the fire. Crews were released from the incident and arrived back in the Burns-Hines communities monday morning. Partnerships like these are key to keeping communities safe.

08/08/2026

Info on where the smoke is coming from

08/05/2026

Rogue Valley Task Force 40, your team is awesome! Thanks again for being there and supporting our community!

𝐑𝐨𝐠𝐮𝐞 𝐕𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐲 𝐓𝐚𝐬𝐤 𝐅𝐨𝐫𝐜𝐞 𝟒𝟎 𝐑𝐞𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐧𝐬 𝐇𝐨𝐦𝐞

Task Force 40 returned safely to the Rogue Valley on Sunday afternoon following their assignment on the Second Flat Fire near Burns, Oregon.

During their deployment, the task force worked night shift protecting homes and other structures that were under immediate threat from the advancing fire. Their efforts helped provide critical structure protection for the community impacted by the fire.

We would like to extend our sincere thanks to Burns Fire Department for their hospitality while our crews were assigned to the incident. They graciously welcomed TF 40 into their fire station, providing an air-conditioned place for firefighters to rest and recover during the hot days between shifts. The kindness and generosity shown by both the department and the Burns community were greatly appreciated by everyone on the task force.

As a region made up largely of rural communities, we know firsthand how meaningful outside assistance can be during large incidents. We’re proud to have been able to return that support by helping protect another Oregon community in its time of need.

We’re grateful to have all of our personnel home safely, and our thoughts remain with the firefighters and support personnel who continue working on wildfires throughout Oregon and across the West Coast.

Medford Fire Department | Evans Valley Fire District #6 | Grants Pass Fire | Ashland Fire & Rescue | Applegate Fire District

08/03/2026

08/02/2026

Thank you for your help its been really appreciated!