Firefighters battle brushfires, fatigue amid triple-digit heat

PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — As 100-degree temperatures beat down on Portland, local firefighters are shouldering 60 pounds of equipment as they battle multiple brushfires in the area.

The unexpectedly hot first week of September is making an already tough job that much harder, making it all the more important for crews to fight off fatigue.

"It's warm. It's, you know, slowing down a lot of things, right," said Rick Graves, a spokesperson for Portland Fire and Rescue.

Last week, the Portland area saw something of a false start to fall, with much cooler-than-expected temperatures. Now the high temperatures, low humidity and wind create "a significant concern for fire," Graves said.

It was that very recipe that created the conditions for two brush fires to break out on Thursday. Officials said a fire in Banks was started by a farm tractor striking a power pole. The sparks of electricity that ensued provided the perfect ignition.

"Fighting fire in 100-degree weather was not on my bingo card for today," said Kelly Niles, a spokesperson for Oregon Department of Forestry.

Another fire in Scappoose is still under investigation. These incidents show how heat can impact emergency response jobs like firefighting.

"It makes it very difficult," Niles said.

Graves said to help ease the process for crews, they have "two rehabilitation rigs throughout the city" providing "liquids, refreshments."

"They would also monitor vital signs of the firefighters as they were in rehab, to make sure they were healthy enough to return to work if they needed to do so," Graves said.

As PF&R crews left station 28 for an emergency call, firefighters kept an eye out for one another.

"Everybody knows their body," Graves said. "But they're directed and instructed to make sure that they're as healthy as they can be throughout their tour, throughout their shift."

Firefighters don't just respond to fire calls but they're also the ones sent to respond to heat illness calls. For that reason, Graves said you can do your part by drinking plenty of water, wearing light clothes and getting shade when you can.