DeLong: Wildfire season saw everyone working together
By Terry Murry on Tuesday, October 20th, 2026 in Columbia Basin News Columbia Basin Top Stories
UMATILLA COUNTY – Wildfire season was wild for Umatilla County Emergency Manager Sage DeLong. However, one thing that was calming is how well agencies from different states, firefighters from different countries, and area fire districts joined together.
DeLong said that when the Paradise Fire was burning in both Washington and Oregon, the state line didn’t exist. He praised Walla Walla County Emergency Management for their work.
“We are just working together and trying to get that incident wrapped up and we work really well together,” DeLong said.
Another big help was the newly formed North Pendleton Regional Fire Protection Association (NPRFPA), a group of farmers trained and equipped by the Oregon Department of Forestry.
“Randy Bracher, the president out there, just did an amazing job, DeLong said. “The communication and the response from the farmers and their ability to integrate in has really helped us keep those fires smaller than they were in previous years.”
The NPRFPA has 62 members who went through training sponsored by the Oregon Department of Forestry, the U.S. Wildland Fire Service, the U.S. Forest Service, and local fire personnel. They were equipped with 20 portable radios, 70 pieces of personal protective equipment, and six pieces of Federal Excess Firefighting Equipment, which includes used vehicles.
