In the face of spreading wildfires, Governor Tina Kotek has called upon the Emergency Conflagration Act, stepping up the state's response to two significant fires, the Rail Ridge Fire and the Shoe Fly Fire. The fires, which ignited on Friday, are presenting a formidable threat to structures across Crook, Grant, and Wheeler counties, prompting the local Fire Defense Boards to seek state intervention.

"September is still a dangerous month of fire season, and our firefighters are working around the clock to protect Oregon’s communities and natural resources," Governor Kotek pointed out, urging Oregonians and visitors to respect fire restrictions. According to an Oregon government newsroom post, the governor's decision is a direct reaction to the situation's urgency, which the current resources and personnel have found overwhelming.

As of Saturday, with 23 large fires across Oregon, state agencies are actively collaborating with federal agencies and local communities to tackle the ongoing blazes. This extensive mobilization highlights the severity of the situation being managed by the Oregon State Fire Marshal's office and the firefighting community.

Invoking ORS 476.510-476.610, Governor Kotek has affirmed that the threats these fires pose warrant a response surpassing the capacities of the local firefighting teams. Her declaration, documented in Executive Orders 24-24 and 24-25, enables specialized mobilization of resources under the Oregon Fire Mutual Aid System.

In addition to state resources, the Oregon State Fire Marshal Blue Incident Management Team is partnered with the California Team 10 in a unified command to suppress the Rail Ridge Fire, and Oregon Department of Forestry Team 1 is tackling the containment of the Shoe Fly Fire. The interagency collaboration aims to enhance firefighting efforts through combined expertise and resources.