Union County Vector Control pushing for partial operational ability following devastating facility fire
By Garrett Christensen on Tuesday, March 24th, 2026 in More Top Stories Northeastern Oregon News
UNION COUNTY – As the weather warms up and mosquito season approaches, Union County Vector Control is doing everything possible to reestablish operability. Last fall, around Thanksgiving time, the organization was gutted by a devastating structure fire at its main facility on Landmark Lane that resulted in the loss of nearly all vector control district equipment and vehicles. As written by Vector Control in a recent social media update:
“The fire resulted in the total loss of nearly all District assets, including our specialized trucks, spray equipment, product inventory, and essential supplies. While we have been working tirelessly with insurance providers and contractors to rebuild, the road to recovery has presented significant logistical hurdles.”
According to Union County Vector Control Manager Chris Law, the fire was started by a lithium drone battery that exploded, ravaging the facility. Which battery specifically is unknown, though litigation continues among various parties and attorneys as a result.
Further, according to Law, the loss of belongings within the building is estimated at around $140 thousand dollars. This is not taking into consideration the district’s pickups, fog machine, and ATV. Estimated value on the building itself is also unknown as the facility is still being investigated.
In the meantime, Vector Control has signed a contract for use of a temp facility and is in the process of moving in equipment, according to Law. Efforts are also continuing to replace and reacquire necessary equipment. As again written in the recent post:
“We are working urgently to source and replace the specialized equipment and vehicles required for effective vector control. Prioritizing Services: Due to the loss of equipment, UCVCD will initially be operating at a limited capacity.”
At this time, the goal is to simply get up and running in time to serve the county for mosquito season, with Law remarking, “I’m hoping we’ll be operational, at least in some capacity in the next couple of weeks.” As such, the public is asked to be patient as Vector Control attempts to rebuild and regain functionality. Changes in response times and schedules, as well as overall capacity, should be expected. Remember that staff are doing what they can to maintain and restore vector control services for county residents, despite the devastating disruption. As again written by Union County Vector Control:
“We are doing everything in our power to restore full service as quickly as possible. We remain dedicated to protecting Union County and will continue to provide updates as our capacity grows. Thank you for your continued support as we rebuild to serve you better.”
One thing that residents can do to help, according to law, is, as always, eliminate sources of standing water around their properties and not give mosquitos places to breed. The fewer mosquitoes around, the easier things will be for residents and staff alike.
