FIRES NEAR ENTERPRISE AND JOSEPH – FIREFIGHTERS ROLL FROM LAKE STATION

A house fire in rural Enterprise Sunday morning, Nov. 27, and a reported wildfire in rural Joseph in the evening rousted two Joseph firefighters living at Wallowa Lake, who responded both times on Engine 5 from the lake fire station.

Joseph Assistant Fire Chief Matt Walker and Joseph Firefighter Doug Buska, owner of Wallowa Lake Resort, rolled when the Joseph Fire Department was dispatched on a mutual aid assignment on Valley Heights Drive, where a fire had broken out in an unoccupied home. Later, they headed out when a slash-pile burn blazed out of control on Hurricane Creek Road.

Each time, Walker and Buska were ordered to the Joseph fire station to have Engine 5 stand by as the "second-out" engine in case another emergency occurred. Joseph's usual second-out engine was out of service for repairs.

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JOSEPH FIREFIGHTERS RESPOND FROM LAKE STATIONTO BIG NIGHT FIRE IN RURAL JOSEPH

Flames spread over farm acreage as firefighters work to contain wildfire outside Joseph

Firefighters from throughout Wallowa County, including Wallowa Lake, converged on agricultural acreage in rural Joseph about 7 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 2, after a homeowner’s burn pile blazed out of control due to high winds. 

The resulting fire blackened 56 acres of farmland in the Alpine Lane area, but firefighters kept the flames from spreading to nearby homes, businesses, a hay barn and hay bales. No one was injured.

The blaze grew quickly as wind gusts reached 45 miles an hour at times, and the orange-yellow glow could be seen in the darkened sky for miles. The homeowner called 9-1-1 when his burn pile spread to nearby dry grass, according to Joseph Fire Chief Tom Clevenger.

Engine and water tender crews responded from Joseph, Enterprise and Wallowa fire departments, Wallowa Lake Rural Fire Protection District and the U.S. Forest Service.

High winds had been in the local weather forecast. Homeowners and farmers planning to burn should consult weather predictions before lighting any fire, Clevenger cautioned.

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CLEVENGER BECOMES DISTRICT FIRE CHIEF

Wallowa Lake fire protection responsibilities have been added to Joseph Fire Chief Tom Clevenger’s duties.

 

Directors of Wallowa Lake Fire Protection District appointed Clevenger as the district’s fire chief on Oct. 28.

The district board agreed to an initial one-year appointment with a $200 monthly stipend to cover mileage and other out-of-pocket expenses. In Joseph, the fire chief is elected annually by the city’s volunteer firefighters. Clevenger was first selected by the Joseph department in 2009. 

The board created a job description for the position of fire chief that outlines the primarily administrative nature of the job. Because the district contracts with the city of Joseph for firefighting services, Clevenger’s duties under this appointment will be primarily administrative. The board will retain budgeting and contract negotiations authority. 

“The one volunteer firefighter at the meeting was a strong supporter of our appointing Chief Clevenger,” Board President Tom Groat said.

The action was significant in that the district hadn’t had a fire chief for several years. The board’s vote to appoint Clevenger ws unanimous.

Clevenger’s biggest short-term assignment is to have the Insurance Services Office, which sets the district’s fire rating, reinstate the district fire station.

Joseph firefighters living at the lake are now responding from the station so the district can move toward the station being considered functional by the ISO and those insurance carriers that use its rating.

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