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Dear Friends and Neighbors,
In response to a large jump in cases and hospitalizations, as well as new national guidance from the CDC calling for masking measures, the Oregon Health Authority now recommends universal mask use for all public indoor settings statewide. The reality is that in Oregon the highly contagious Delta variant has increased tenfold over the past two weeks and is tied to 80% of new cases. The use of face masks provides significant protection for individuals who are unvaccinated as well as an additional level of protection from a small but known risk of infection by the virus for persons who have already been vaccinated.
I know this is not the news we wanted to hear in the middle of summer, but please know that over the past year and a half, it’s been our collective sacrifices that have saved thousands of lives across Oregon. These new recommendations will ensure we can continue to protect Oregonians’ health, safety, and most importantly, save lives.
Please also remember that the most effective way to save lives and prevent the spread of COVID and the highly transmissible Delta variant is to get vaccinated. According to the Oregon Health Authority and the CDC, all authorized vaccines are effective and work very well to protect you from getting very sick or dying from COVID-19. Vaccines have also shown strong protection against COVID-19 variants. Everyone in Oregon age 12 and older is eligible to receive the COVID-19 vaccine. Please see my ‘Vaccine Information’ section below to find out where to get a shot near you.
We still have some great Summer days ahead of us! I am particularly looking forward to the Washington County and Oregon State Fairs. What an opportunity for community to come together over food, music, and fun! One of my favorite bands is The June Bugs, which is a fantastic family band. I am also particularly fond of the 4-H shows, having been a member myself when I was young. We might be back to wearing masks indoors, but there's still a lot of Summer fun to be had!
Join me at the Cornelius Library at 4:30 on 8/3 to discuss the historic 2021 Legislative Session! This is a great opportunity to hear directly from me, learn about updates on COVID and the current wildfires, and ask questions on topics that are important to you! After the meeting, we will head over to Harleman Park for National Night Out!
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Thank you and Good Luck!
Being an intern can be difficult during the best of times, but completing an internship with the State Legislature during a pandemic and with multiple crises facing our state, takes a talented student. And we were lucky to have two very talented interns join us for the 2021 Legislative Session. Camden Fobert, who just graduated from Willamette University, was fascinated by Education and Transportation policy and did a great job of attending hearings and taking notes to bring back to staff. He is now on the job market and we know his next employer will be lucky to have him. And Anushka Naiknaware has a tremendous mind for scientific information and helped us put all of the COVID information into coherent bites for the non-scientific mind. MIT will be lucky to have her as a Freshman this fall. Thank you Anushka and Camden for being part of Team McLain and best of luck in the future!
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As I mentioned in last week's Newsletter, we had a very successful Legislative Session this year. Not only did I get 7 of my primary bills passed, but 27 bills I was a Regular Sponsor on also passed! I was very proud to add my name as a sponsor to these bills and to work hard to ensure they were successful because each of them will make a difference to Oregonians. They ranged from allowing shelter siting for the homeless to ensuring police accountability to providing unemployment benefits for certain types of school employees. Please continue reading for a summary of the bills passed that I signed onto this Session:
HB 2006 - Emergency Shelter Siting Bill: Requires local governments to allow siting of qualifying emergency shelters by qualifying entities notwithstanding land use laws and regulations.
HB 2008 - Tax Exempt Sheltering Bill: Provides tax exemption for property of religious organizations held or used solely to provide affordable housing to low income households.
HB 2298 - Environmental Restoration Weirs Bill: Directs State Department of Fish and Wildlife to adopt by rule and administer a program for authorizing voluntary projects for stream restoration and habitat improvement through construction of environmental restoration weirs.
HB 2362 - Healthcare Mergers Bill: Requires approval from Department of Consumer and Business Services or Oregon Health Authority before any mergers, acquisitions, contracts or affiliations of health care entities and other entities if entities meet or exceed specified thresholds in average net patient revenue or in gross amount of premiums in preceding three fiscal years.
HB 2417 - Expansion of Crisis Stabilization Services Bill: Expands crisis stabilization services, including crisis stabilization centers meeting criteria adopted by Oregon Health Authority by rule, short-term respite facilities, peer respite centers, behavioral health urgent care walk-in centers and crisis hotline centers.
HB 2517 - Reporting of Prior Authorizations Bill: Requires the Oregon Health Authority to compile, and annually post to their website, a report on information reported to the authority by coordinated care organizations regarding requests for prior authorization.
HB 2518 - Brownfield Removal Bill: Establishes a program to make forgivable loans to reimburse private owners or operators of brownfields for eligible costs incurred in completion of removal or remedial action at brownfield.
HB 2526 - Indigenous People’s Day Bill: Designates second Monday of October of each year as Indigenous Peoples' Day.
HB 2560 - Meeting Accessibility Bill: Requires the governing body of the public body, to extent reasonably possible, to make all meetings accessible remotely through technological means and provide opportunity for members of the general public to remotely submit oral and written testimony.
HB 2906 - PERS Update Bill: Provides that, if monthly salary of member of individual account program of Oregon Public Service Retirement Plan does not exceed $3,333, instead of $2,500, Public Employees Retirement Board shall credit all employee contributions made by member to employee account and credit no employee contributions made by member to employee pension stability account.
HB 2929 - Police Misconduct Reporting Bill: HB 2929 creates a process for officer reports of police misconduct. The measure specifies to whom a report of misconduct should be made, and includes the Bureau of Labor and Industries (BOLI) as one of the entities. The measure also specifies the timeframe for reporting and investigating reports of police officer misconduct. The measure directs BOLI to establish and maintain a database for reports of police officer misconduct and requires that reports involving civilians be sent to the Department of Justice.
HB 2935 - Equity in School Programs Bill: Limits authority of a school district to become a member of a voluntary organization that administers interscholastic activities unless the organization implements equity focused policies that meet certain requirements.
HB 3012 - Student Incidental Fees Bill: Limits ability of public universities to refuse new mandatory incidental fees or process for collecting mandatory incidental fees.
HB 3059 - Repeal of Dispersal Statute: Repeals statute authorizing law enforcement officers to command dispersal of unlawful assemblies and arrest participants who do not disperse.
HB 3115 - Reasonable Congregating Bill: Provides that local law regulating sitting, lying, sleeping or keeping warm and dry outdoors on public property that is open to the public must be objectively reasonable as to time, place and manner with regards to persons experiencing homelessness.
HB 3164 - Removal of Refusal to Obey Law: Modifies the crime of interfering with a peace officer or parole and probation officer. Removes refusal to obey officer order as a manner of committing crime. Provides that person may not be arrested for or charged with interfering with a peace officer or parole and probation officer for conduct that would constitute any] if person is arrested or charged for other criminal offense based on same conduct.
HB 3265 - Immigrant Rights Bill: Prohibits law enforcement agencies or public bodies from denying services, benefits, privileges or opportunities to certain individuals on the basis of federal civil immigration actions, inquiring about an individual's citizenship status without connection to criminal investigation or providing information about individuals in custody to federal immigration authority.
HB 3294 - Free Menstrual Products Bill: Requires every public education provider to provide both tampons and sanitary pads at no cost to students.
HB 3354 - Performance-Based Evaluations Bill: This measure requires the Teachers Standards and Practices Commission (TSPC) create a performance-based measure to determine if a licensing candidate’s knowledge, skills and compensation qualify the candidate for a license.
HB 3389 - Unemployment Solvency Look-Back Bill: Extends look-back period used to determine Unemployment Compensation Trust Fund solvency level from 10 years to 20 years.
SB 495 - Unemployment Eligibility for Instructional Assistants Bill: Defines "instructional capacity" to exclude instructional assistants from scope of statutes prohibiting payment of unemployment insurance benefits to professional employees of educational institutions for weeks of unemployment commencing during a period between two successive academic years or terms.
SB 496 - Unemployment Eligibility for Nonprofessional School Employees Bill: Removes prohibition on payment of unemployment insurance benefits to nonprofessional employees of educational institutions providing school food services, early intervention services or pre kindergarten services for weeks of unemployment commencing during the period between two successive academic years or terms.
SB 497 - Domestic Violence Reporting Bill: Requires court to indicate in a judgment document when a person is convicted of misdemeanor assault or menacing constituting domestic violence.
SB 582 - Producer Recycling Responsibility Bill: Establishes producer responsibility program for packaging, printing and writing paper and food serviceware.
SB 712 - HECC Board Expansion Bill: Alters commissioner composition of the Higher Education Coordinating Commission by redesignating five current nonvoting positions as voting positions and by adding one additional position for a graduate student attending public university.
SB 759 - Legislative Assistant Bargaining Bill: Directs presiding officers of each house of the Legislative Assembly to represent the legislative department in collective bargaining negotiations with legislative department employee bargaining units.
SJR 10 - Abolishment of Slavery Resolution: Proposes amendment to Oregon Constitution to prohibit slavery and involuntary servitude in all circumstances.
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Governor Kate Brown Signs Clean Energy Bills, Sets Goal for 100% Clean Energy by 2040
Oregon now has the most aggressive timeline in the country for clean energy transition
Governor Kate Brown signed into law a comprehensive clean energy bill package today at 11:15 a.m. at Daimler Truck North America and Portland General Electric’s Electric Island commercial vehicle charging center in Portland. House Bill 2021, the 100% Clean Energy bill, sets the most aggressive timeline in the country for moving to 100% clean electricity sources, by 2040.
House Bill 2021, House Bill 2165, House Bill 2475, and House Bill 3141 address the climate crisis head on by accelerating the clean energy transition in Oregon and centering the needs of Oregon’s most vulnerable communities.
“With these policies, we will create jobs in a 21st Century, clean energy economy, said Governor Brown. “We will reduce carbon emissions. And, we will make sure the economic, environmental, and health benefits of our clean energy economy reach all Oregonians, especially those who have been disproportionately impacted by climate change and pollution. Oregon is leading the way.
“I have continued to make climate action an urgent priority as Oregon continues to grapple with repeated climate disasters, the impacts of which are felt disproportionately by Black, Indigenous, Latino, Latina, Latinx, Asian, Pacific Islander, Tribal, communities of color, low income, and rural communities. I’m so proud that we have taken steps forward to address climate change and build a more sustainable Oregon. All the while, growing our economy and creating green jobs. I want to thank the legislative leaders, advocacy groups, community groups, utilities, renewable energy developers, and other businesses who worked tirelessly to see these bills become law.”
Collectively, these bills will reduce emissions, expand clean energy access, enhance energy efficiency programs, and create good paying clean technology jobs in Oregon. This comprehensive legislative package helps ensure that Oregon achieves its greenhouse gas reduction goals while protecting electricity customers.
Tips to stay cool without AC
If your older neighbors don't have air conditioning, here are some helpful tips you can share with them on staying cool:
- Take a cold shower or bath
- Use cold rags on neck or wrists
- Use box fans
- Close your curtains or blinds
- Sleep in breathable linens
- Sleep in the basement
- Don't refrigerate or freeze blankets or clothing
- Close the doors of unused rooms
As temperatures rise into the 90s this week, take a minute and check on your older neighbors. A quick knock on your neighbor's door to make sure they have a fan, that they are staying hydrated, and are managing the heat okay, will make a world of difference to their overall health.
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Health Threats from Extreme Heat
YOUNG CHILDREN: Infants and young children are sensitive to the effects of extreme heat, and must rely on other people to keep them cool and hydrated.
- Never leave infants or children in a parked car. (Nor should pets be left in parked cars—they can suffer heat-related illness too.)
- Dress infants and children in loose, lightweight, light-colored clothing.
- Seek medical care immediately if your child has symptoms of symptoms of heat-related illness.
PEOPLE WITH CHRONIC DISEASES: People with chronic medical conditions are less likely to sense and respond to changes in temperature. Also, they may be taking medications that can worsen the impact of extreme heat. People in this category need the following information.
- Drink more water than usual and don’t wait until you’re thirsty to drink.
- Check on a friend or neighbor, and have someone do the same for you.
- Check the local news for health and safety updates regularly.
- Don’t use the stove or oven to cook - it will make you and your house hotter.
- Wear loose, lightweight, light-colored clothing.
- Take cool showers or baths to cool down.
- Seek medical care immediately if you or someone you know experiences symptoms of heat-related illness.
ATHLETES: People who exercise in extreme heat are more likely to become dehydrated and get heat-related illness. STOP all activity and get to a cool environment if you feel faint or weak.
- Limit outdoor activity, especially midday when the sun is hottest.
- Wear and reapply sunscreen as indicated on the package.
- Schedule workouts and practices earlier or later in the day when the temperature is cooler.
- Pace activity. Start activities slow and pick up the pace gradually.
- Drink more water than usual and don’t wait until you’re thirsty to drink more. Muscle cramping may be an early sign of heat-related illness.
- Monitor a teammate’s condition, and have someone do the same for you.
- Wear loose, lightweight, light-colored clothing.
- Seek medical care immediately if you or a teammate has symptoms of heat-related illness.
OUTDOOR WORKERS: People who work outdoors are more likely to become dehydrated and are more likely to get heat-related illness. STOP all activity and get to a cool environment if you feel faint or weak.
- Drink from two to four cups of water every hour while working. Don’t wait until you are thirsty to drink.
- Avoid alcohol or liquids containing large amounts of sugar.
- Wear and reapply sunscreen as indicated on the package.
- Ask if tasks can be scheduled for earlier or later in the day to avoid midday heat.
- Wear a brimmed hat and loose, lightweight, light-colored clothing.
- Spend time in air-conditioned buildings during breaks and after work.
- Encourage co-workers to take breaks to cool off and drink water.
- Seek medical care immediately if you or a co-worker has symptoms of heat-related illness.
- For more information, please visit: http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/heatstress.
LOW INCOME: People who are low income are more likely to be affected by a heat wave.
- If you have air conditioning, use it to keep your home cool.
- If you can’t afford to use your air conditioning:
- Drink more water than usual and don’t wait until you’re thirsty to drink.
- Check on a friend or neighbor, and have someone do the same for you.
- Seek medical care immediately if you have, or someone you know has, symptoms of heat-related illness.
How to Keep Your Pets Safe During the Heat Wave
We all love spending the sunny days of summer outside with our furry friends, but enjoying the hotter weather can be dangerous. As temperatures start to rise, pet owners should pay special attention to their pets to understand their limitations and take extra precautions in this warmer weather so your fun day in the sun doesn't turn into a trip to the emergency room.
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Washington Co. Vaccine Information:
Every Oregonian age 12 and up is eligible for a vaccine. Twelve to 14 year-olds must be accompanied by either a parent, guardian or someone designated by the parent. If someone other than a parent or guardian accompanies the 12 to 14-year-old, they will need to provide proof of parental/guardian consent.
Proof of consent is either:
- A signed consent form (available in English and Spanish on the All4OR.org site)
- A written or typed note that includes the parent/guardians name, relationship to the young adult, their date of birth, a statement saying they consent to young adult being vaccinated and the parent/guardian signature.
Fifteen-year-olds do not need to be accompanied, and do not require parental consent in the state of Oregon.
NEW! Washington County's Mobile Vaccination Van: Our van is traveling the county to make it easier for people to get the vaccine close to where they live or shop. Find the schedule here.
Beaverton Resource Center: Most Fridays from July 16 through September 24. See the flier for exact dates and times. Pfizer for ages 12 and older. Located at 13565 SW Walker Road.
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Virginia Garcia Memorial Health Centers: All vaccination events are open to the community, do not require an appointment, and do not require you to be a Virginia Garcia patient. You do not have to have insurance in order to receive a vaccine. If you have insurance, please bring your card with you. Remember, vaccines are free!
Local pharmacies: As of April 27, 2021, pharmacies are required to offer second/boost doses to people who received their first dose somewhere else.
How much does the vaccine cost? Vaccines are provided free of charge to the recipient. If you have health insurance, you may be asked to provide that information so the vaccinator can bill your insurance an administration fee.
National Vaccination Progress:
Oregon's Vaccination Progress:
National Numbers:
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Confirmed Cases: 34,603,433
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Deaths: 611,128
- These national numbers come from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. You can view their national and state by state data here.
Oregon Status Report:
- Oregon now has 216,875 total cases (confirmed and presumptive) of COVID-19.
- Today we have 505 new confirmed and presumptive cases, and 1 new deaths.
- A total of 2,872 Oregonians have died from COVID-19 (previous daily case updates from OHA here)
- Washington County has 27,645 confirmed cases, including 257 deaths.
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The Oregon Health Authority provides a Public Health Indicators Dashboard to enable communities across Oregon to monitor COVID-19 in the state. The dashboard, which will be updated weekly on Thursdays, provides a transparent report that presents complex epidemiological data in an interactive, easy-to-understand way on a state and county level
OHA recommends universal mask use for all public indoor settings
In response to a large jump in cases and hospitalizations and in alignment with new national guidance calling for masking measures to prevent the spread of the highly transmissible Delta variant, the OHA today is recommending universal mask use in public indoor settings throughout the state to protect people in Oregon from COVID-19.
“Today’s reported sharp rise in cases and hospitalizations in Oregon are sobering reminders that the pandemic is not over, especially for Oregonians who remain unvaccinated,” said Dr. Dean Sidelinger, state epidemiologist and state health officer.
“The highly contagious Delta variant has increased tenfold in the past two weeks in Oregon, and it is now estimated to be associated with 80% of the new cases in Oregon. The use of face masks provides significant protection for individuals who are unvaccinated as well as an additional level protection from a small but known risk of infection by the virus for persons who have already been vaccinated.”
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), people who are vaccinated with currently available vaccines are protected from the virus and the circulating variants, including the Delta variant that is now seen in the majority of Oregon’s new cases.
OHA’s recommendation aligns with the CDC’s new guidance issued today that everyone, including fully vaccinated persons, wear a mask in public indoor settings. OHA’s recommendation applies statewide, and not just areas with higher infections and high transmission, as cases have increased across the state in recent weeks due to the Delta variant.
OHA is continuing to call on local community and public health leaders, and businesses, to encourage vaccination and masking to prevent new outbreaks in areas of high transmission.
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The delta variant surge in Oregon: What you need to know
This article is from Oregon Public Broadcasting.
The more contagious delta variant of COVID-19 is spreading rapidly across the nation. In just a few short weeks it’s changed everything. On Tuesday, the Oregon Health Authority reported 1,032 new cases of COVID-19. The last time the state reported more than 1,000 new cases in a day was at the peak of the spring surge in April.
Some Oregon schools are now requiring masks this fall, and the CDC is recommending that people in most parts of the country wear face coverings indoors in public places. Late Tuesday, OHA went along with that, recommending that people wear face coverings in “all public indoor settings” in the state.
OPB answers your questions about this latest wave of COVID-19 and who is most at risk.
Why are scientists and public health experts so concerned about the delta variant?
It’s the most contagious form of COVID-19 we’ve encountered yet. Epidemiologists use a measure called the reproductive rate to describe how fast a virus can spread if people don’t take any measures to control it. For original COVID-19 that rate was about 2 or 3, meaning each person with the virus would infect 2 or 3 other people. The reproductive rate for the delta variant is about 6 or 7, meaning without control measures, each person infects 6 or 7 other people.
Both the original and the variant spread exponentially in populations without immunity, but the delta variant spreads much more quickly — and requires a higher vaccination rate to stop the spread.
The head of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Rochelle Walensky, has called it one of the most infectious respiratory diseases she’s ever seen.
Who’s most at risk?
Everyone’s at some degree of risk, but the risk is just, so much higher for people who aren’t vaccinated. So let’s talk about the risk for unvaccinated people first.
In Oregon, that’s about 40% of all residents, or about 30% of adults?
Right. The first big group of unvaccinated people is children under 12. Shots aren’t approved for them yet.
Throughout the pandemic children have been by far the least likely to get severe COVID-19, or to be hospitalized or die. Most have only had mild infections.
One urgent question about the delta variant is if it makes children any sicker than the original strain. The scientists we spoke with say there isn’t much reliable data on that yet, though there should be soon.
Scientists are concerned about the prospect of the delta variant spreading when school is back in session, starting at the end of August.
And the state has responded to that by strongly advising local school districts to require masks this fall. What do we know about unvaccinated adults in Oregon?
There are a couple of different lenses you can use to talk about unvaccinated adults.
Let’s start with race and ethnicity.
The state has race and ethnicity data for about 85% of the people who’ve been vaccinated so far. It shows that people who are Hispanic, or Black, as well as members of Native American tribes are much less likely to be vaccinated.
Ebony Clarke, the director of Multnomah County Public Health department, said those communities are now doubly at risk from the delta variant.
“Because we are impacted by chronic diseases such as diabetes, high blood pressure, and those types of things put us more at risk of being gravely impacted by COVID-19,” Clarke said.
To encourage people to talk to their unvaccinated friends and family, Multnomah County is offering $50 gift cards to vaccinated people who accompany their unvaccinated friends or relatives to get their shot.
Who else is less likely to be vaccinated?
Younger people and Republicans. There’s a growing vaccination gap between Republican and Democratic-leaning counties. Nationally, there’s about a 12% difference in vaccination rates between counties that voted for Joe Biden and counties that went to Donald Trump, according to an analysis by the Kaiser Family Foundation.
Finally, OHA publishes the zip codes in Oregon that have the largest unvaccinated populations. That data shows that Medford, Grants Pass, Salem and parts of Clackamas County all have large unvaccinated populations that are at risk for delta variant outbreaks.
What are the risks from the delta variant for people who are vaccinated?
Vaccination is by far the best protection against severe infection and death from COVID-19; 97% of hospitalizations are among unvaccinated people, according to the CDC.
Now here are the caveats: Your protection is going to be the best if you’ve gotten two doses of a shot. A single dose of Pfizer or Moderna or the one-dose Johnnson & Johnson may not provide as much protection against the delta variant.
And as someone who is vaccinated, there’s still the risk that you get a mild infection but transmit the virus to someone in your family — like a child — who isn’t vaccinated. Now we’re seeing the CDC calling for people who are vaccinated to wear masks.
California and New York have announced vaccination requirements for public employees. Nationwide, hospitals like the Mayo Clinic are announcing mandates. Is there anything like that happening here in Oregon?
Not yet. Where we’re starting to see a consensus building nationally is around vaccine mandates for health care workers.
Oregon is unique - state law prohibits employers from requiring health workers to be vaccinated. So hospitals, clinics, nursing homes can’t do it.
The state hospital association says that law, passed 30 years ago, is misguided. They want OHA to adopt new rules allowing hospitals to choose whether to mandate vaccination for their staff.
When will this surge be over?
That depends in part on our collective behaviors, like getting more people vaccinated and wearing masks in indoor public places.
One key statewide forecast is predicting that hospitalizations from this wave will peak again in late September and then begin to fall.
OHSU Still Offering Free Testing
Testing is one of the most important tools we have to stop the spread of the new Delta variant. Need a free community testing event? Visit this site to search for events throughout Oregon. You’ll need to click “Register” and create a new user account that will ask for contact information. This will let you schedule an appointment for your selected event and get your test results. Because of the high demand for COVID-19 tests, an appointment and voucher are required for testing, one person per appointment. If there are no appointments available, please select another location or date. Only those with appointments are guaranteed a test.
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Oregon Department of Forestry/Fire Marshall Update
The Pacific Northwest remains in a Preparedness Level (PL) 5 of 5, which means that there’s significant initial attack and extended attack fire activity in both Oregon and Washington. With both regional and national PLs at 5, we will continue to see limited resource availability within the national system. This makes it even more important for us to leverage the state’s firefighting resources to the fullest, including landowner resources, our local contractors and interagency partnerships.
Critical Fire Weather: Initiating this report today, is the abundance of lightning that has landed in eastern Oregon over the past 48 hours. Of particular concern is lighting that landed west of the cascades early this AM. We have been monitoring lightning strikes closely and responding accordingly to new fire starts. Some moisture has been associated with these storms across the state. Following this lightning event will be above average temperatures and the return to critically dry fuel conditions across much of the state. We are expecting holdover fires from this lightning event to surface through the remainder of the week, given the hot, dry conditions.
Current Wildfire Activity: There are currently four large fires in Oregon (300 acres in grass and 100 acres in timber) https://gacc.nifc.gov/nwcc/information/firemap.aspx. As of July 26, 1,062 fires have burned 495,407 acres across all jurisdictions in Oregon.
The Bootleg Fire started on the Fremont-Winema National Forest on July 7. It has burned 409,611 acres and is currently 53% contained. A Type 1 IMT from Alaska has arrived and replaced the Type 1 teams currently on the fire. ODF and OSFM resources will be headed home early this week. News media interest in this fire has brought in reporters from across the nation and around the globe as this represents the largest fire currently burning in the nation. Overall, the threat for fire spread continues to diminish on this fire, but given the size there is lots of work left to bring this to full containment. National Guard crews are deployed on this fire to help improve and hold containment lines. Approximately 2000 fire fighters are deployed to the fire.
The Elbow Creek Fire started on the Umatilla National Forest on July 15. It has burned 22,681 acres and is 38% contained. Work to contain the fire’s growth along the NW and SW flanks of the fire in Elbow Creek Canyon was successful over the weekend. Mop up and fire line improvement operations continue along the NE and S/SE flanks. ODF IMT 3 is hoping for transition to the local district by this coming weekend. The threat to structures on this fire is diminishing with the good work of fire crews. Approximately 1000 fire fighters are deployed to the fire.
The Jack Fire started on the Umpqua National Forest on July 5. It has burned 21,881 acres and is 59% contained. An interagency Type 2 IMT is deployed to this fire. As the largest fire on the west side of the cascades and burning in heavy timber, this fire will take continued effort to see full containment this year. Continued burn out operations are necessary to reinforce containment lines.
The Bruler Fire started on the Willamette National Forest on July 12, 2021. It has burned 195 acres and is 47% contained. The fire is 100% lined and is making great progress with USFS, ODF and local landowner resources partnering closely. A transition to the local district is planned for this week. Given the location of this fire in heavy timber, we are expecting close monitoring of this fire to avoid any flare ups during east winds, that typically hit this region later in the fire season.
Of significance, the Game Hog Creek Fire started on the Tillamook State Forest on July 13. It has burned 182 acres of state forests and is 90% contained. The fire is completely lined, managed by the local district, with no further expected growth.
COVID-19: Further complicating our operating environment is the continued threat of COVID-19 exposure. In accordance with protocols developed in partnership with the Oregon Health Authority for the 2020 fire season, individuals reporting symptoms and those who worked closely with them are tested and isolated until results are received. Those who test positive are quarantined away from the fire camp.
Protecting the health and safety of firefighting personnel and those in the local community is the highest priority. This fire season has been slightly different due to the broad availability of vaccines and the prioritization of structural and wildland firefighting resources for vaccination in the spring. However, many of last year’s COVID-19 exposure mitigation measures have still been in use at fire camps statewide. ODF and OSFM are partnering with OHA to identify opportunities to strengthen these existing measures. Additionally, the Northwest Multi-Agency Coordination Group, of which ODF and OSFM are members, agreed to return to full 2020 fire season COVID-19 exposure mitigation protocols, which includes masks and avoidance of physical contact.
Large Fire Cost: As of July 23, ODF’s gross large fire costs for fire season 2021 are estimated at $45.6 million and estimated net costs are $24.5 million.
- Gross costs are the fire costs the agency must carry as debt until we receive reimbursements from other agencies and FEMA.
- Net costs are the non-reimbursable fire costs that are distributed among the General Fund, Oregon Forestland Protection Fund, and Lloyd’s of London wildfire insurance policy.
To-date, OSFM has initiated 6 conflagrations, where local structural protection resource needs have been exceeded and structural taskforces are mobilized from around the state under the Oregon Fire Mutual Aid System (OFMAS). These fires include Wrentham Market, Sunset Valley, Jack, Bootleg, Grandview, and Elbow Creek. Gross costs for these fires are estimated at $16.5 million. Many thanks to the local fire service resources who have mobilized across the state to take suppression action on Oregon’s wildfires.
Prevention: Keep Oregon Green is, as always, helping us get the word out about preventing human-caused wildfires, which account for about 75% of the wildfires that start on ODF-protected lands. Prevention messaging can be found on ODOT’s highway reader boards, billboards,TV and radio ads, and on the MAX and TriMet buses, bus stops, and benches. There are even prevention messages shared during all Portland Timbers home games!
Please be aware that campfires are now banned on state forestlands (Gilchrist and Sun Pass) and Oregon Parks and Recreation Department lands east of I-5 due to conditions on the ground. To find out current fire danger levels and restrictions on ODF-protected lands where you live or are planning to recreate, take a look at our Public Fire Restrictions map.
Smoke Impacts: The Department of Environmental Quality has extended the air quality advisory for a variety of Counties in Oregon, given fires across the region. Information on smoke impacts throughout the state is available at the Oregon smoke blog.
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OREGONIANS MUST CAMP WITHOUT FIRE
Campfire ban east of Interstate 5 begins July 22 - Ban includes state parks and state-managed forests
Due to fire danger and limited firefighting resources across the western U.S., effective Thursday, July 22 no campfires will be allowed in state parks and in state-managed forests east of Interstate 5 (I-5), even in designated campfire areas. This includes:
- charcoal fires
- cooking fires
- warming fires
- propane fire pits
- candles
- tiki torches
- pellet-fueled grills and other devices that emit flames or embers.
Portable cooking stoves using liquefied or bottle fuels and propane/liquid-fueled lanterns are allowed
This ban covers all state-managed parks and forestlands east of Interstate 5, and includes prohibitions on fires in designated fire rings. The public can also anticipate restrictions in other areas based on fire danger. Restrictions may increase as fire danger rises in other parts of Oregon and will remain in place until conditions moderate.
State agencies strongly encourage checking fire danger levels and associated restrictions in a given area before traveling and daily during a visit. With hot, dry weather expected to continue and no relief forecasted in the foreseeable future – and several large fires on Oregon’s landscape – the step of banning campfires east of I-5 was deemed a necessary measure to protect life and property in what is already a very challenging and dangerous fire season.
Particularly in times of elevated fire danger, maintaining capacity to respond quickly to new fire starts is critical. Humans cause on average 70% or more of fires in Oregon, and these additional restrictions are intended to help reduce the number of human-caused fire starts. This will allow firefighters to focus on the existing large fires as well as new blazes that may emerge.
What you need to know when a campground is within wildfire Level 1 status
Before you arrive—or during your stay—a campground may be affected by a wildfire. The park could be subject to Level 1, 2, or 3 notification without warning. Incoming reservation customers will receive an email from us if a park is under a Level 1 status or if it is closed because of Level 2 or Level 3 status. The status will also be included in the fire restrictions list below when needed.
What does this mean and what should you consider for your trip?
- If a park reaches Level 1, that means a fire is in the area, and you should be ready to evacuate if notified. Air quality may be affected. Visit the Oregon smoke blog and the Department of Environmental Quality Air Quality Advisory map for the latest conditions.
- If you choose to cancel your reservation when a park is at Level 1, standard charges and policies apply. Cancellation information
- If a park falls within the Level 2 boundaries, it will be evacuated. Please follow the direction of park staff or law enforcement to safely leave the campground.
- Your reservations will be canceled and all fees will be refunded.
Go to the Public Alert Wildfires 2021 web page to see a current map of wildfires burning in Oregon, and the levels and boundaries for a specific fire.
Wildfire Recovery Resources
OEM has put together this list of contacts to help speed up the process of replacing these documents:
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Green cards: Phone (800)-375-5283; Website: www.uscis.gov
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Medicare cards: Phone: (800)-772-1213; (TTY) (800)-325-0778 Website: www.medicare.gov
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Military records Phone: 866-272-6272 Website: www.archives.gov/contact/
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Passport Phone: 877-487-2778; (TTY) 888-874-7793 Website: travel.state.gov
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Social Security card Phone: 800-772-1213; (TTY) 800-325-0778 Website: www.ssa.gov
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U.S. Savings Bonds Phone: 844-284-2676 Website: www.treasurydirect.gov
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U.S. tax returns Phone: 800-829-1040 Website: www.irs.gov
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Birth, death, marriage, domestic partnership, divorce certificates Phone: 888-896-4988 Website: www.oregon.gov/oha/PH/Birthdeathcertificates
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Driver’s license, auto titles and registration, ID cards Phone: 503-945-5000 Website: www.oregon.gov/odot
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SNAP (Oregon Trail Card) Website: www.oregon.gov/DHS/Assistance/Food-Benefits
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State taxes (Oregon Dept. of Revenue) Phone: 503-378-4988 or 800-356-4222 TTY: All relay calls are accepted. Website: www.oregon.gov/dor
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Real estate and property - Contact your county government.
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Credit cards - Contact your credit card company directly.
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Credit reports from Equifax, Experian, TransUnion Phone: 877-322-8228 Website: www.annualcreditreport.com
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Insurance documents - Check with your insurance agent.
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Medical records - Call your doctor or your medical insurance company; medical and prescription records are tracked electronically.
The Governor’s office has put together a Wildfire Resources page that you can access from the Governor’s home page. It has links to many of the most important updates about the status of fires and resources for evacuees. This website will be updated regularly.
Legal Resources: Oregon State Bar’s Lawyer Referral Program, Oregon lawyers, through the Oregon State Bar, are partnering with FEMA and the American Red Cross to provide legal assistance on FEMA claims, contract claims, insurance claims, landlord-tenant matters and more.
The Department of Forestry’s Wildfire Response and Recovery Overview has ongoing updates about firefighting efforts, damage reports, and more.
FEMA Updates: FEMA has provided several different Fact Sheets and resources for accessing benefits, determining eligibility and avoiding scams.
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National Night Out
August 3rd is a busy day! Come to my Town Hall at the Cornelius Library at 4:30 and then let's all walk/drive over to Harleman Park for National Night Out!
Reminder: FREE BBQ in the Park!
FGSD Nutrition Services will be hosting FREE BBQs in parks on the following days! Nutrition Services will be serving up your choice of a hamburger, cheeseburger or a hot dog to kids 18 and under. There will also be watermelon, baked beans, and a treat from 12 to 12:30 pm!
Locations:
8/4 Rose Grove Park
8/5 Talisman Park
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FOOD PANTRY ALERT
All Hillsboro School District families may use the W.L. Henry Food Pantry this summer. The Food Pantry will resume using Oregon Food Bank Cards in July. For more information about Food Pantries and SNAP Benefits in Washington County, please click here.
About Redistricting
Based on the census data, every 10-years states will redraw electoral lines to better reflect population shifts and growth, as well as changes in demographics to ensure fair and equal representation in government and allocation of resources. In Oregon, once the census data is received in August, the state legislature will begin to redraw the electoral lines with input from public testimony.
Redistricting is important because it is about building the infrastructure for us to have a representative democracy. How a district is drawn will impact how communities' voices are reflected and represented in our governments, as well as the diversity of candidates who run for office.
Redistricting can change your life. Testify and make your voice heard.
From schools to healthcare, transportation lines, funding for housing and emergency support for issues like wildfires, redistricting determines how resources are allocated and to which communities based on representation. This is why it’s important that we receive as much public input and testimony as possible. We need to hear from you to make sure we’re keeping communities of interest together and ensure every person has fair representation.
Save the date and visit bit.ly/3y5LhIQ for updates.
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September 8 - Bend at 5:30 PM
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September 9 - Eugene at 5:30 PM
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September 10 - Salem at 9:00 AM
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September 10 - Oregon City/North Clackamas County at 3:00 PM
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September 11 - Central Portland at 9:00 AM - Hillsboro/Beaverton at 3:00 PM
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September 13 - Oregon Capitol in Salem at 9:00 AM, 1:00 PM & 5:30 PM
Child Tax Credit Payments are here!
The American Rescue Plan increased the Child Tax Credit from $2,000 per child to $3,000 per child for children over the age of six and from $2,000 to $3,600 for children under the age of six, and raised the age limit from 16 to 17. All working families will get the full credit if they make up to $150,000 for a couple or $112,500 for a family with a single parent (also called Head of Household).
Employers and Employees
The following list of resources is from Oregon’s Secretary of State’s Office. The fastest way to get in touch with the SOS team is by emailing business.sos@oregon.gov, using the “Need Help?” button found on most state agency websites or visiting www.oregon.gov/smallbusiness.
Education Links
Local Government
Utilities Assistance
Food and Housing Assistance
Yours truly,
 Representative Susan McLain
House District 29
email: Rep.SusanMcLain@oregonlegislature.gov I phone: 503-986-1429
address: 900 Court St NE, H-376, Salem, OR 97301
website: http://www.oregonlegislature.gov/mclain
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