Monday, August 11, 2025

Klamath Basin Weather

• Heat Advisory in effect from August 11, 11:00 AM PDT until August 13, 02:00 AM PDT
• Fire Weather Watch in effect from August 12, 02:00 PM PDT until August 12, 08:00 PM PDT

Around the State of Oregon

ACT NOW TO SECURE SUMMER EBT BENEFITS

As summer begins to wind down, families have a limited window to secure essential food assistance through the Summer EBT program. The program offers $120 per child to help cover grocery costs when school food programs are not as easy to access. With the application deadline quickly approaching on Sept. 3, 2025, it’s crucial for eligible families to act now.

Thousands of families may be unaware that they qualify for this essential benefit. The Oregon Department of Human Services (ODHS) and the Oregon Department of Education (ODE) are urging families to check their eligibility and apply before the deadline. Remember, once benefits are received, you have 122 days to use them.

Most eligible children received their benefits automatically on May 22, 2025, if their households:

• Participate in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)
• Participate in Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF)
• Are Oregon Health Plan (Medicaid) members in households with incomes under 185 percent of the Federal Poverty Level
• Children in foster care also automatically received Summer EBT

However, families who did not receive benefits automatically, particularly those with children in Head Start programs that participate in the National School Lunch or School Breakfast Programs, should still apply to determine their eligibility.

Families are encouraged to visit sebt.oregon.gov or contact the Summer EBT Call Center at 833-673-7328 to verify their eligibility and apply.

ODHS Director Fariborz Pakseresht said, “Making sure children have access to nutritious food throughout the summer is critical. This small action could provide significant support to families in Oregon.”

Since May 22, 2025, more than 347,027 eligible school-aged children have been issued $41.6 million in Summer EBT food benefits.

“There are many more families out there who may be eligible for the $120 Summer EBT benefit,” ODE Director Dr. Charlene Williams said. “This is more than a benefit—it’s a lifeline for many families. We’re asking our schools, community organizations, and summer meal providers to help spread the word by posting flyers and sharing information with families. Together, we can ensure every eligible child gets the food support they need this summer.”

Act now and don’t let this opportunity pass by. Make sure your family receives the assistance it deserves by applying for Summer EBT before Sept. 3, 2025.

To learn more:

• Call 833-ORE-SEBT (833-673-7328). The call center is open Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Pacific Time.
• Visit sebt.oregon.gov.

 

Pacific Power has introduced its latest Wildfire Intelligence Center, a facility aimed at improving the company’s capacity to track and monitor wildfires in real time, thereby enabling more informed decisions regarding emergency power shutoffs.

“If we observe that a fire is starting to move away from the equipment, or if we determine that the fire poses no threat, we will restore power as swiftly as possible. The Wildfire Intelligence Center significantly enhances our capability to achieve this,” stated Simon Gutierrez, Communications Specialist for Pacific Power.

The center is staffed by a team of 15 and is transitioning to 24-hour operations. Since its launch on May 3, the center has monitored over 1,300 wildfires, as reported by Nick Linfoot, Wildfire Intelligence Center Manager. Pacific Power asserts that the additional intelligence has already enabled them to prevent numerous emergency de-energizations that would have otherwise been necessary, thanks to enhanced situational awareness and real-time data.

 

Since the onset of the pandemic, many students in Oregon have fallen far behind their peers across the nation in terms of educational achievement.

Late to the table again, Governor Tina Kotek has proposed four bipartisan bills designed to enhance the educational outcomes within the state. The enhancements outlined in these bills involve allocating state funds to programs that aim to improve and assess student performance, as well as ensuring greater predictability and accuracy regarding the funds distributed to school districts.

Additionally, these bills streamline administrative responsibilities for smaller school districts, allowing them to concentrate more on student needs and to expand upon Kotek’s 20-23 Early Literacy Initiative, supported by an extra $13 million. The enactment of these bills coincides with what Kotek describes as a historic allocation of $11 billion for the State School Fund.

Of the four bills signed, three will take effect immediately upon passage.

 

Siskiyou Gold Fair Is On Through Sunday

If you did not experience sufficient enjoyable activities at the Klamath County fair this past weekend, a brief drive will lead you to another well-known local county fair.

It is now Siskiyou County’s opportunity to host the fair, and this year is particularly significant– TheSiskiyou Golden Fair is commemorating its 100th anniversary. The fair will take place from Wednesday to Sunday at the fairgrounds in Yreka, offering five complete days of traditional fun, live entertainment, and community heritage.

Attendees can partake in all the beloved attractions: exhilarating carnival rides and games, tasty food vendors, motocross events, a dynamic rodeo shoot-out, and the ever-popular Destruction Derby.

This year’s concert schedule features performances by Ben Haggard and Chancey Williams, bringing some celebrity appeal to the celebrations. Naturally, a county fair would not be complete without animals– from livestock displays to petting zoos, there is something for animal enthusiasts of all ages.

The carnival will commence at 3 p.m. on Wednesday and will then open daily at 10 a.m. for the rest of the week. Parking is complimentary, and children aged six and under are admitted free of charge.

 

The Oregon Department of Human Services’ (ODHS) seeks public comment on proposed changes to two Medicaid-funded services.

These amendments will allow ODHS to implement an Agency with Choice service option for in-home consumers and will update the Aging and People with Disabilities (APD) rate methodology for Adult Foster Homes and Residential Care Facilities. These amendments are proposed with an effective date of Jan. 1, 2026.

More information, including the public notice, amendment summary and available drafts of the proposed amendments, are posted on the APD website.

To submit feedback and comments, the public may take one of the following actions:

1. Send an email to Beth.Jackson3@odhs.oregon.gov
2. Send written comments addressed to Oregon Department of Human Services, Attn: Beth Jackson, 500 Summer Street NE, Salem, OR 97301.
3. Send a fax to 503-947-4245, Attn: Beth Jackson

Deadline: To be considered, feedback must be received by Sept. 1, 2025.

• APD was directed by House Bill 4129 (2024) to create an Agency with Choice (AwC) service model for in-home service options. This model will be added to APD’s in-home service options in Jan. 2026. The detailed requirements for AwC will be in Oregon Administrative Rules. The 1915(k) language will be amended to reference those rules. The 1915(k) will also include a description of how the AwC rates will be developed. Because HB 4129 limits the number of AwC providers to two, APD will specify that limit in the 1915(k). APD will also add AwC to APD’s 1915(b)(4) for case management services.
• APD is also proposing a new way to calculate rates for APD Adult Foster Homes and Residential Care Facilities. The rate methodology for these providers was created in the 1980s and no longer captures the complexity of individuals served in these settings. The new rate methodology will more accurately account for individuals’ needs. The 1915(k) will define the methodology and provider requirements.

• Stay informed sign up to receive evacuation at, ORAlert.gov remember to update information if need be.
• Find the websites for your county emergency management, sheriff’s office, or tribal police and follow them on social media.

FORESTRY’S NEW REGIONAL AIR-ATTACK PLATFORM SEES IMMEDIATE SUCCESS

SALEM, Ore.—Oregon’s wildfire response continues to evolve with the Oregon Department of Forestry’s (ODF) recent addition of regional air attack and ongoing investment in severity aircraft.

Deputy Director of Fire Operations, Kyle Williams, explained, “the severity aircraft and regional air attack gives us a huge advantage, both are excellent investments. These help us fight wildfires with surgical precision, quickly cutting off wildfires in critical locations.”

In terms of geographical scope, ODF is the state’s largest fire department. The department typically responds to more than one thousand fires each year. Most fires you never hear of because ODF’s fast, effective response keeps most wildfires under 10 acres.

Chief of Fire Protection, Michael Curran, explained, “this takes a coordinated effort using aircraft and on-the-ground firefighters to quickly stop these fires. ODF has hundreds of firefighters and multiple aircraft strategically located across the state to do this work.”

What is air attack?

Air attack is the airplane and crew that fly above a wildfire to coordinate aircraft and groundwork to stop a wildfire—a flying air traffic control center. Air attack has three primary responsibilities—keeping firefighters safe, ensuring accurate drops of water or retardant, and giving incident commanders a full, clear picture of the fire.

Safety takes priority. Keeping firefighters and air crews safe requires maintaining space between aircraft and coordinating precise water drops. Air attack monitors and directs flight paths based on multiple factors. The key factors are spacing and whether the pilot can drop the water on target while keeping on-the-ground firefighters safe.

Hitting the target keeps fires smaller. Accuracy depends on clear communication from the firefighters to air attack about target coordinates and timing. The firefighters determine the spot to hit, which can change quickly based on the speed that a fire spreads, winds, and aircraft.

Air attack calculates and coordinates based on how soon the aircraft can be on location, whether it is an airplane or helicopter, where the firefighters are, and how many parts around the fire need help. Air attack looks at the whole picture, triages the requests and details, determines which aircraft are best used where and when, then directs drops to stay on target.

While an aircraft drops water or retardant on the leading edge of the fire to check it, this allows on-the-ground firefighters to suppress the fire’s push by digging and creating a fireline, a non-flammable, mineral soil buffer around the fire. This early stage takes clear communication and coordination for precise water drops and keeping firefighters safe and out of the drop zone. Keeping everyone safe and maximizing the effectiveness of this oft called “airshow” on a wildfire takes calm disposition, clear communication, strategic thinking, and decisive action—that’s air attack.

Why does it matter?

Historically, when a wildfire started, aircraft, let alone air attack, were not readily available. When the wildfire grew to a size that warranted air attack, then the dispatcher would order it from a central location. The response time slowed the effectiveness, because of the limited air response and support. Even if an aircraft and firefighters arrived, the lack of big-picture coordination stifled the work.

Recent investments by Oregon’s legislature gave ODF two regional air attack teams.

Williams explained, “now, dispatchers can send air attack during the initial attack phase of emergency response. It’s a game changer.”

The regional air attack builds on the “severity aircraft” program to better use state resources. Over the past couple of decades, the legislature has continued investing in firefighters and technology that return great results.

Curran concluded, “we’re seeing a huge return on investment using these aircraft early—cutting costs, keeping wildfires small, and better protecting natural resources and the public.”

 

 

Thanks for reading the the news on BasinLife.com from Wynne Broadcasting.

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