09/02/2026
Earlier this week, Corvallis and Monroe Fire departments responded to a fire in the Greenberry area on Highway 99. During the response, multiple private vehicles disregarded posted "Road Closed" signage and cones, driving through an active fire scene rather than following the marked detour.
We are issuing this announcement to address a serious public safety concern.
When a roadway is closed at an emergency scene, our personnel operate on the assumption that the road is clear of traffic. Firefighters position apparatus, deploy hose lines across the pavement, and concentrate on containing the fire. Vehicles entering a closed area unexpectedly place both our responders and the drivers themselves at significant risk, injury and/or death.
The danger is compounded near an active fire, where conditions can change rapidly. Reduced visibility from smoke, flames crossing the roadway, downed power lines, debris, and the movement of emergency vehicles all create hazards that motorists may not anticipate.
Beyond the safety risk, driving around a road closure is a traffic violation. Under Oregon law (ORS 811.265), failure to obey a traffic control device which can include barricades, signs, and cone setups is a Class B traffic violation. In Oregon, that carries a presumptive fine of $265, with fines ranging from a minimum of $135 up to a maximum of $1,000.
Road closures are never established for convenience. They are put in place because, during that period, the roadway is not safe. We reopen every road as quickly as conditions allow.
We ask the public to treat all "Road Closed" signs, cones, and barricades as absolute. Do not drive around them. Follow posted detours, even when they add time to your route.
We appreciate the community's cooperation in helping keep both residents and first responders safe.
