Bend Fire & Rescue was called to a house on NW Terra Meadow Dr Christmas Eve just before 2pm for a fire in a garage. Occupants and neighbors both reported a fire in the garage. Fire crews arrived and quickly extinguished the fire. The fire was reported to be related to an electric car in the garage. During the fire neighbors were asked to shelter in place due to the possible smoke containing lithium-ion by products which can be toxic. The 2 adults and 3 dogs in the house safely evacuated prior to our arrival.
 

The fire was traced back to a failed lithium battery in an electric vehicle. The vehicle was a passenger car converted from gas to an electric vehicle. The battery failed and caught fire, spreading to the contents of the garage. The occupants and neighbors noticed the fire and quickly called 911. With little delay in getting the fire department notified and the construction of the garage, the fire was kept inside the garage. Minimal smoke damage was found throughout the house. The smoke alarms did sound but not right away as the smoke was in the garage until after the occupants opened the door ingo the garage during the incident. The house is not occupiable anymore due mostly to the damage to the home utilities that all come through the garage, but all the family’s Christmas presents and much of their personal belongings were saved from damage. Modern attached garages are built with fire barriers between the garage and the main part of the house. This includes more sheet rock and heavier duty doors leading into the house to prevent a fire in the garage from spreading into the house.

Bend Fire & Rescue wants to if any portion of the vehicle or charging stops working or is not working as it normally does, stop all charging immediately and have the entire system checked out by a qualified professional. This goes for cars, bikes, scooters, and all other types of electric vehicles.

Here are some safety tips for charging EVs from the US Fire Administration, a branch of FEMA:

• Follow manufacturer’s guidelines when charging your vehicle. Check with your local dealer if you need additional information.
• Purchase a charging device that is certified by a nationally recognized testing laboratory.
• Plug Level I EV chargers directly into an outlet designed to handle the amperage of the charging device. Never use a multiplug adapter or extension cord.
• Install a residual current device with the charging unit. It will turn off the power if a fault is detected and help prevent a fire.
• Place all charging device components out of reach of children when not in use.
• Maintain the components of your charging station according to the manufacturer’s maintenance guidelines. Signs of excessive wear may indicate a potential shock hazard. Never use an EV charger with obvious signs of damage.
• Cover the EV charging station outlet to stop water from entering. Check the manufacturer’s guidelines to make sure it is safe to charge your EV in wet conditions.

As always, never throw any lithium batteries into the trash. These batteries will end up in the landfill where the process of trash collection, dumping, and packing into the landfill can cause the damage needed to start a fire. A fire in the landfill is a major concern of any solid waste department. This includes items with built in lithium batteries such as flashlights, alarms, and other small electronics. Contact your trash service provider, your local landfill, or many electronics stores for safe recycling options in your community.

An Oregon Department of Corrections (DOC) adult in custody, Stephen Wayne Newell, died the morning of December 24, 2025. Newell was incarcerated at Snake River Correctional Institution (SRCI) in Ontario and passed away in the infirmary while on hospice care. As with all in-custody deaths, the Oregon State Police have been notified, and the State Medical Examiner will determine cause of death.

Newell entered DOC custody on November 14, 2024, from Josephine County with an earliest release date of July 23, 2033. Newell was 47 years old. Next of kin has been notified.

DOC takes all in-custody deaths seriously. The agency is responsible for the care and custody of approximately 12,000 individuals who are incarcerated in 12 institutions across the state. While crime information is public record, DOC elects to disclose only upon request out of respect for any family or victims.

SRCI is a multi-custody prison in Ontario. Additional information about the Oregon Department of Corrections can be found at www.oregon.gov/doc.

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December 23, 2025

Media contact: Jonathan Modie, PHD.Communications@oha.oregon.gov

Recreational use advisory lifted for Upper Klamath Lake

Continue to keep pets away as levels detected remain above educational guideline values for animals

PORTLAND, Ore.—Oregon Health Authority (OHA) has lifted the recreational use health advisory issued for Upper Klamath Lake in Klamath County.

OHA issued the advisory July 24.

Water monitoring has confirmed the level of cyanotoxins in Upper Klamath Lake are below recreational guideline values for people. However, levels detected are still above OHA’s educational guideline values for dogs, and owners should keep their pets away from these areas.

OHA advises recreational visitors to continually be alert to signs of cyanobacteria blooms. This is because blooms can develop and disappear on any water body at any time when bloom conditions are favorable. Only a fraction of water bodies in Oregon are monitored for blooms and toxins, so it’s important for people to become familiar with signs of a bloom, exposures and symptoms by visiting OHA’s Cyanobacteria (Harmful Algae) Blooms website at http://www.healthoregon.org/hab.

When recreating, people, and especially small children, and pets should avoid areas where the water is foamy, scummy, thick like paint, pea-green or blue-green, or if thick brownish-red mats are visible or bright green clumps are suspended in the water. If you see these signs, avoid activities that cause you to swallow water or inhale droplets, such as swimming or high-speed water activities, and keep pets out of the area.

Cyanotoxins can still exist in clear water. When a bloom dies, toxins released may reach into clear water around the bloom. Blooms can be pushed into other areas, leaving toxins behind. There also are species of cyanobacteria that anchor themselves at the bottom of a water body, live in the sediment, or can grow on aquatic plants and release toxins into clear water.

For health information or to report an illness, contact OHA at 971-673-0482, or visit OHA’s Cyanobacteria (Harmful Algae) Blooms website.

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December 23, 2025

Media contact: Erica Heartquist, PHD.Communications@oha.oregon.gov

Recreational use advisory lifted for Prineville Reservoir

PORTLAND, Ore. - Oregon Health Authority (OHA) has lifted the recreational use health advisory issued for Prineville Reservoir in Crook County.

OHA issued the advisory Oct 13.

Water monitoring has confirmed that the level of cyanotoxins in Prineville Reservoir are below recreational guideline values for people and below safety values for dogs.

OHA advises recreational visitors to continually be alert to signs of cyanobacteria blooms. This is because blooms can develop and disappear on any water body at any time when bloom conditions are favorable. Only a fraction of water bodies in Oregon are monitored for blooms and toxins, so it’s important for people to become familiar with signs of a bloom, exposures and symptoms by visiting OHA’s Cyanobacteria (Harmful Algae) Blooms website at http://www.healthoregon.org/hab.

When recreating, people, and especially small children, and pets should avoid areas where the water is foamy, scummy, thick like paint, pea-green or blue-green, or if thick brownish-red mats are visible or bright green clumps are suspended in the water. If you see these signs, avoid activities that cause you to swallow water or inhale droplets, such as swimming or high-speed water activities, and keep pets out of the area.

Cyanotoxins can still exist in clear water. When a bloom dies, toxins released may reach into clear water around the bloom. Blooms can be pushed into other areas, leaving toxins behind. There also are species of cyanobacteria that anchor themselves at the bottom of a water body, live in the sediment, or can grow on aquatic plants and release toxins into clear water.

For health information or to report an illness, contact OHA at 971-673-0482, or visit OHA’s Cyanobacteria (Harmful Algae) Blooms website.

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December 23, 2025

Media contact: Timothy Heider, PHD.Communications@oha.oregon.gov

Recreational use advisory lifted for Thief Valley Reservoir

Continue to keep pets away as levels detected remain above educational guideline values for animals

PORTLAND, Ore.—Oregon Health Authority (OHA) has lifted the recreational use health advisory issued for Thief Valley Reservoir in Baker and Union Counties.

OHA issued the advisory on Aug 20.

Water monitoring has confirmed that the level of cyanotoxins in Thief Valley Reservoir are below recreational guideline values for people.

However, levels detected are still above OHA’s educational guideline values for dogs, and owners should keep their pets away from these areas.

OHA advises recreational visitors to continually be alert to signs of cyanobacteria blooms. This is because blooms can develop and disappear on any water body at any time when bloom conditions are favorable.

Only a fraction of water bodies in Oregon are monitored for blooms and toxins, so it’s important for people to become familiar with signs of a bloom. Learn more about potential exposures and symptoms here.

When recreating on, or in the water, people, and especially small children, and pets should avoid areas where the water is foamy, scummy, thick like paint, pea-green or blue-green, or if thick brownish-red mats are visible or bright green clumps are suspended in the water.

If you see these signs, avoid activities that cause you to swallow water or inhale droplets, such as swimming or high-speed water activities, and keep pets out of the area.

Cyanotoxins can still exist in clear water. When a bloom dies, toxins released may reach into clear water around the bloom. Blooms can be pushed into other areas, leaving toxins behind. There also are species of cyanobacteria that anchor themselves at the bottom of a water body, live in the sediment, or can grow on aquatic plants and release toxins into clear water.

For health information or to report an illness, contact OHA at 971-673-0482, or visit OHA’s Cyanobacteria (Harmful Algae) Blooms website.

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In 1999, the Oregon Legislature passed HB 2977, Mandatory Boater Education, requiring operators of motorboats with engines greater than 10 horsepower and youth 12-15 years of age operating any size motorboat, to take a course on basic boating skill and/or pass an equivalency exam to demonstrate basic boating knowledge. The primary reason for passing the law was to reduce accidents, injuries, deaths, property damage, and conflict on Oregon’s waterways. Oregon was the first state west of the Mississippi to enact an education requirement. Today, there are more than 45 states and U.S. territories that require some form of boating safety education.

Back in 1999, the Oregon Legislature gave the agency three years to implement the program, first offering a home-study and mail-in application option between 2000 and 2003. Then in 2003, the age phase-in began and ended in 2009, when all boaters, regardless of age, had to meet the education requirement.

From the beginning, the Marine Board wanted to have plenty of options for boating safety education by offering internet, in-person classroom, and equivalency exams for boaters to choose from. When the age phase-in began in 2003, there were three approved Internet course providers. The Marine Board also partnered with the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary, US Power Squadrons (America’s Boating Club), and the Red Cross to offer classroom courses around the state. Additionally, the agency developed its own volunteer instructor program with certified instructors teaching the “Boat Oregon” classroom course. The third option available for boaters included equivalency exams, offered through certified Boat Oregon instructors or county Sheriff’s Offices with approved marine patrol proctors. The three options remain today, and approved internet courses have expanded, including courses in Spanish. Virtual classes are also offered throughout the year in partnership with the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary.

Of note, when the law was passed in 1999, the accident reporting threshold was set at $500. In 2001, the threshold was increased to $2,000 to reduce the number of reports for minor damage and to align with changes in the cost of boat repairs. This reporting change is evident in a significant drop (in the chart below) in 2001. What’s more, the data below for accidents (incidents) and fatalities includes non-motorized boaters per reporting requirements for the U.S. Coast Guard. Since 2010, paddling in Oregon and across the nation has shown exponential growth. Motorized boating incidents and fatalities have been declining on average over the last 15 years.

The inference can be made based on submitted boating incident reports, indicating whether the boat operator did not have a boating safety education card.

Very little has changed in the Marine Board’s administrative rules for the program in reference to ORS 830.082 for the Mandatory Boating Safety Education Program. The program has been self-supporting through boating education card fees with very little agency administration and does not rely on other funding. In the past 25 years, the price of the lifetime card increased once, from $10 in 2000 to $20 in 2020. Replacement cards increased from $8 in 2000 to $16 in 2020. The increase was due to other rising costs in US mail postage, other supplies, and the card printing itself.

Course options remain the same, although approved internet courses have modernized, giving the student an interactive learning experience. Oregon-specific course content and testing are routinely updated to remain relevant to current national standards or changes in state boating laws. The agency now offers a digital Boat Oregon classroom course manual, also available in Vietnamese, Simple Chinese, Russian, and Spanish.

With the popularity and growth in paddling, the agency encourages people who recreate in kayaks, canoes, rafts, and stand up paddleboards to take advantage of FREE online paddling safety courses. They’re fun, interactive, and outline not only Oregon state boating laws, but also other important tips to reduce accidents out on the water.

Currently, over 439,700 education cards have been issued, and Oregon’s boating safety education program continues to be a model for other states and territories.

The BEC is a lifetime card and must be carried by the operator when the boat is in use. The BEC must be shown to a marine law enforcement officer upon request.

Visit Boat.Oregon.gov to learn more about all things recreational boating.

-End-

Safety tips for coastal beach visitors during rainy season

IMMEDIATE RELEASE

SALEM, Ore. — On Monday, Dec. 22, at 5 p.m., the Oregon Department of Emergency Management (OEM) downgraded its Emergency Coordination Center (ECC) activation from Level 3 (Regional Response) to a Level 4 (Steady State) following the recent atmospheric river event that caused widespread flooding and landslides across the state. 

Recovery Efforts Continue Statewide 

 While the ECC has returned to a steady‑state posture, OEM remains fully engaged in recovery operations and is actively monitoring incoming weather and hazards. The ECC stands ready to increase activation levels if conditions change.  

“Oregon communities were hit hard by this storm, and our work is far from over,” said OEM Director of Recovery and Response Andrew Jahier. “We’re continuing to coordinate resources for affected areas, and the State Emergency Coordination Center remains ready to support local jurisdictions and coordination efforts to protect lives, property and the environment.” 

OEM is working closely with local jurisdictions and partners to ensure communities receive the assistance they need and is prepared to reactivate if the approaching high wind event over-extends local response resources. State Recovery Functions are active, and OEM is supporting Long-Term Recovery Groups and Community Organizations Active in Disaster to address disaster-related unmet needs. 

As always, OEM encourages anyone driving this week to check TripCheck.com for road hazards or closures, and to have a full tank of gas and fully stocked emergency car kit. Also, if you encounter a downed powerline, leave it alone and call 911. 

For more information on recovery efforts and disaster assistance, visit Oregon.gov/OEM

SALEM, Ore. — The Oregon Board of Forestry will meet at 9 a.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 7. The meeting will be held in the Tillamook Room, Building C, at the Oregon Department of Forestry headquarters, located at 2600 State St. in Salem. The meeting is open to the public and will also be livestreamed on the department’s YouTube channel.

The board’s business agenda includes:

• Oregon Forest Resource Institute presentation values and beliefs survey
• 2025 Forest Practices Operator of the Year awards
• Review of Federal executive orders and update on United States wildland fire service

The full agenda is available on the board’s webpage.

Signing up for live testimony is required. Instructions are available online. Written testimony will also be accepted. Written comments can be submitted before or up to two weeks after the meeting day by mail to the Board Support Office, 2600 State St., Salem, OR 97310 or email to oardofforestry@odf.oregon.gov">boardofforestry@odf.oregon.gov. Please include the appropriate agenda item and topic with the submission.

Accommodations for people with disabilities, and special materials, services, or assistance can be arranged by calling ODF’s Public Affairs Office at least 48 hours in advance of the meeting at 503-945-7200 or by email at estryinformation@odf.oregon.gov">forestryinformation@odf.oregon.gov.

The Oregon Board of Forestry consists of seven citizens nominated by the Governor and confirmed by the Oregon Senate. Responsibilities include appointing the State Forester, setting management direction for state-owned forests, adopting rules governing timber harvest and other practices on private forestland, and promoting sustainable management of Oregon’s 30-million-acre forestland base. Read more information about the board.

If you live in one of 19 Oregon counties and lost food bought with Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits because of recent storms and power outages, you now have more time to ask for replacement benefits.

The Oregon Department of Human Services (ODHS) has extended the deadline to 30 days for people whose food was lost or spoiled due to power outages Dec. 17, 2025.

Households in the counties listed below have until Jan. 16, 2026, to report food losses and request replacement SNAP benefits.

Counties included in the extended deadline:

• Benton
• Clackamas
• Clatsop
• Columbia
• Coos
• Douglas
• Hood River
• Jefferson
• Klamath
• Lane
• Lincoln
• Linn
• Marion
• Multnomah
• Polk
• Tillamook
• Wallowa
• Washington
• Yamhill

What if I live in another county?

If you live outside these counties, the usual rule still applies.
You must report food losses within 10 days of the incident. ODHS may ask for proof.

How to request SNAP replacement benefits

If your food was lost because of the storms or power outages, you can request replacement benefits in any of these ways:

• Calling 800-699-9075, relay calls welcome
• Filling out a request form and emailing it to egon.benefits@odhsoha.oregon.gov">oregon.benefits@odhsoha.oregon.gov
• Visiting a local ODHS office
• By mail:
  ONE Customer Service Center
  PO Box 14015
  Salem, OR 97309
  (Mail must arrive by the deadline.)
• Online: Log in to your ONE Online account

Once approved, replacement benefits are added to the household’s existing Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) card. The maximum replacement amount is the cost of the food lost, not to exceed the household's normal monthly SNAP benefit.

Resources to help meet basic needs

• Find a food pantry: Visit oregonfoodbank.org
• Learn about government programs and community resources for older adults and people with disabilities: Call 1-855-673-2372 or visit adrcoforegon.org.
• Find more resources near you: Dial 211, text your zip code to 898-211, or visit 211info.org

When does the extended deadline end?

The extended deadline ends Jan. 16, 2026.
After that date, the 10-day reporting rule will apply again.

Administered by ODHS, SNAP is a federal program that provides food assistance to approximately 1 in 5 eligible, low-income families and individuals in Oregon, including many older adults and people with disabilities. Individuals in need can apply for benefits, including SNAP, child care, cash assistance and Medicaid. Learn more at benefits.oregon.gov

SALEM, Ore. — Retired U.S. Army Sgt. Maj. Cecil Owens has been appointed Oregon’s new state chair for Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve (ESGR), a Department of Defense program that helps strengthen relationships between the Guard and Reserve members and their civilian employers.

The ESGR program was established in 1972 to promote cooperation and understanding between service members and employers, educate employers about their responsibilities under the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act, and recognize workplaces that support military employees.

Oregon is home to about 8,100 Guard and Reserve members. These Citizen-Soldiers and Airmen regularly deploy overseas and are also activated at home to support a variety of missions, including disaster response.
 

As state chair, Owens will lead a statewide team of volunteers focused on employer outreach, awards, and education programs. The position is the highest volunteer leadership role for ESGR in Oregon and is appointed by the Secretary of Defense.

“After 30 years of military service, ESGR gives me the chance to continue serving Soldiers and Airmen by ensuring they have strong support from their employers,” Owens said. “Supportive employers are essential to readiness and to the well-being of our service members and their families.”

Owens currently serves as director of the Oregon National Guard State ESGR Committee. He has also held leadership roles at both the state and national levels within ESGR.
 

ESGR relies on trained volunteers to help employers and service members navigate military service obligations and workplace responsibilities, resolve conflicts, and highlight employers who go above and beyond in supporting the Guard and Reserve. 

“We are thrilled to welcome Cecil Owens to this vital leadership role,” said John Sampa, national chair for ESGR. “His dedication and experience will be a tremendous asset as we continue to support our nation’s dedicated service members and their civilian employers.”

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More information about ESGR and employer support resources is available at www.esgr.mil. A video interview with Owens is available at: https://www.dvidshub.net/video/976045/oregon-esgr-honors-cunningham-welcomes-
owens-new-state-chair

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Released Images: 

251110-A-ZJ128-5833.jpg: Oregon Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve State Chair Cecil Owens (left) pauses for a photo with Benton County commissioners and the Benton County sheriff at the Kalapuya Building in Corvallis, Ore., Nov. 10, 2025. (Oregon National Guard photo by Maj. W. Chris Clyne)

251110-A-ZJ128-6880.jpg: Oregon Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve State Chair Cecil Owens (left) pauses for a photo with Sgt. 1st Class Cory Grogan (center) and Col. Paul Dyer, commander of the 41st Infantry Brigade Combat Team, at the Kalapuya Building in Corvallis, Ore., Nov. 10, 2025. The group gathered after Owens and Dyer presented Benton County Government, Grogan’s employer, with the ESGR Seven Seals Award. (Oregon National Guard photo by Maj. W. Chris Clyne)

251101-A-FS713-7026: Oregon Employer Support Guard & Reserve Chair Cecil Owens (Oregon National Guard photo by Oregon Army National Guard Sgt. 1st Class Cory Grogan)