The latest news stories and stories of interest in the Willamette Valley from the digital home of Southern Oregon, from Wynne Broadcasting’s WillametteValleyMagazine.com
Friday, July 9, 2021
Willamette Valley Weather
Today– Sunny, with a high near 89. Light north northwest wind increasing to 5 to 10 mph in the morning.
Saturday– Sunny, with a high near 89. Light west northwest wind becoming north 6 to 11 mph in the afternoon.
Sunday– Sunny, with a high near 89. Light north wind increasing to 6 to 11 mph in the morning. Winds could gust as high as 20 mph.
Monday– Sunny, with a high near 89.
Tuesday– Sunny, with a high near 91.
Oregon reports 212 new confirmed and presumptive COVID-19 cases, 2 new deaths
There are two new COVID-19 related deaths in Oregon, raising the state’s death toll at 2,790. The Oregon Health Authority reported 212 new confirmed and presumptive cases of COVID-19 bringing the state total to 209,973.
The new confirmed and presumptive COVID-19 cases reported today are in the following counties: Benton (4), Clackamas (23), Columbia (4), Crook (2), Deschutes (10), Douglas (5), Jackson (18), Josephine (15), Klamath (8), Lane (7), Lincoln (4), Linn (13), Malheur (3), Marion (23), Morrow (1), Multnomah (13), Polk (2), Tillamook (7), Umatilla (21), Union (2), Washington (17), Yamhill (10).
Vaccinations in Oregon
Today, OHA reported that 10,824 new doses of COVID-19 vaccinations were added to the state immunization registry. Of this total, 7,482 doses were administered on July 7 and 3,396 were administered on previous days but were entered into the vaccine registry on July 7.
The seven-day running average is now 5,406 doses per day.
Oregon has now administered 2,564,438 first and second doses of Pfizer, 1,752,116 first and second doses of Moderna and 172,177 single doses of Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccines.
As of today, 2,421,075 people have had at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine and 2,217,891 people have completed a COVID-19 vaccine series.
Cumulative daily totals can take several days to finalize because providers have 72 hours to report doses administered and technical challenges have caused many providers to lag in their reporting. OHA has been providing technical support to vaccination sites to improve the timeliness of their data entry into the state’s ALERT Immunization Information System (IIS).
To date, 2,965,545 doses of Pfizer, 2,245,440 doses of Moderna and 299,100 doses of Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccines have been delivered to sites across Oregon.
These data are preliminary and subject to change. Updated vaccination data are provided on Oregon’s COVID-19 data dashboards and have been updated today.
COVID-19 hospitalizations
The number of hospitalized patients with COVID-19 across Oregon is 100. which is six fewer than yesterday. There are 28 COVID-19 patients in intensive care unit (ICU) beds, which is three fewer than yesterday.
The total number of patients in hospital beds may fluctuate between report times. The numbers do not reflect admissions per day, nor the length of hospital stay. Staffing limitations are not captured in this data and may further limit bed capacity. More information about hospital capacity can be found here.
COVID-19 weekly cases and hospitalizations continue to fall
The Oregon Health Authority’s COVID-19 Weekly Report, released today, shows a continued decrease in daily cases and hospitalizations.
OHA reported 1,189 new daily cases of COVID-19 during the week of Monday, June 28, through Sunday, July 4. That represents a 13% decrease over the previous week.
New COVID-19 related hospitalizations declined by 40%, to 66, from 110 the previous week.
There were 19 reported COVID-19 related deaths, up from seven reported the previous week.
There were 62,307 tests for COVID-19 for the week of June 27 through July 3. The percentage of positive tests was 2.9%.
People 70 years of age and older have accounted for 38% of COVID-19 related hospitalizations and 74% of COVID-19 related deaths.
Today’s COVID-19 Weekly Outbreak Report shows 22 active COVID-19 outbreaks in senior living communities and congregate living settings, with three or more confirmed cases and one or more COVID-19 related deaths.
Gov. Brown To Announce Winner Of $1 Million Vaccine Jackpot Today
The winner of Oregon’s $1 million vaccine jackpot will be announced Friday afternoon.
Gov. Kate Brown will introduce the winner during a live broadcast at 1:30 p.m. on Youtube. Representatives from the Oregon Lottery and the Oregon Health Authority (OHA) will also be at the press conference.
The $1 million vaccine jackpot is part of the “Take Your Shot, Oregon” campaign to encourage more people to get vaccinated against COVID-19.
The winners of additional state and county vaccine cash prizes will be announced in the coming weeks as people are notified. Thirty-six people will win $10,000 prizes. Five people between 12-17 years old will win a $100,000 Oregon College Savings Plan scholarship.
Almost everyone who received at least one vaccine dose in Oregon was entered into the lottery.
LOCAL HEADLINES:
Another Crash on Beltline Stalls Traffic
An accident that occurred on Beltline between Northwest Expressway and River Road has caused a traffic jam on Thursday afternoon, according to Eugene Police. All lanes are back open on Beltline as of 7:00 p.m.
This area has been identified as a high crash location by ODOT’s Safety Priority Index System (SPIS) in 2012 and 2014.
The new northbound Delta Highway to westbound Beltline Highway ramp, including the new bridge over Beltline Highway, will be completed. That is scheduled to open in August.
Travelers should continue to expect lane, ramp and road closures in the area until the project is complete.
Visit TripCheck.com for the most up-to-date traffic, closure and contraction impact information. Work zone safety will be enforced by police.
City Of Eugene Reconsiders Its Contract With Gas Utility
The City of Eugene advanced an agreement in June with its gas utility company, temporarily ending a dispute amid a movement by a coalition of community groups to convince the city to end its contract, but signaled it would reconsider major provisions of the contract.
Activists with the coalition group Fossil Free Eugene are urging the city of Eugene to cancel its contract with natural gas company Northwest Natural and convert to 100% renewable energy by 2030. The coalition wants to switch from natural gas to lessen the negative effects of greenhouse gas emissions.
Northwest Natural Gas Company, which supplies gas to the entirety of Eugene, obtained its first contract with the city in 1999.
In 2019, Eugene released a Climate Access Plan. The plan outlines a number of steps the city can take to improve its approach to slowing climate change, which includes methods for reducing carbon output and converting to more renewable energy.
In November 2020, a coalition of groups, in a campaign called Fossil Free Eugene, sent a letter to Mayor Lucy Vinis calling on the city to place a moratorium on construction of new natural gas infrastructure and to not renegotiate its standing 10-year contract with NW Natural. The Fossil Free Eugene coalition is made up of a variety of groups, including Sunrise Eugene, the Springfield Eugene Tenants Association and the Eugene NAACP.
Their goal is for the city to halt all further natural gas infrastructure from being built, convert the city to completely renewable energy by 2030 and for the city to levy a fee on NW Natural and other companies that emit pollution. Money collected through the fee would go towards creating a fund to switch low income housing and marginalized communities from natural gas to electricity.
The coalition is urging the city to commit to a fully-electric Eugene by 2030 for a variety of reasons, like trying to avoid the negative effects of fossil fuels on pollution and climate change.
“The intersection between climate justice, housing justice and equitable human rights are more important now than ever,” said Timothy Morris, executive director for the Springfield Eugene Tenants Association. NW Natural emits 6% of Oregon’s greenhouse gas emissions alone. “Renters, particularly BIPOC [Black and Indigenous People of Color] and low-income renters, often find themselves with few choices with their housing and are frequently forced to live alongside some of the worst polluters in our city.”
The city’s old contract with NW Natural gave the gas company the ability to build infrastructure in the city limits without requesting a permit, providing broad latitude to install new infrastructure throughout the city.
During comment periods at city meetings, members of the public and coalition groups spoke out mostly against the renewal of the existing NW Natural contract.
In a meeting on Feb. 9, the city declined to renew its contract with Northwest Natural pending further negotiation. The city council members considered implementing a Carbon Reduction Agreement with an associated fee for NW Natural, but did not come to a decision.
NW Natural obtains a vast majority of its revenue from gas utility fees. Neighboring states California and Washington have banned gas in new building construction, and NW Natural is fighting a similar effort in Oregon.
Critics of total building electrification argue that natural gas is clean energy, and that gas utilities provide an alternative heat and cooking source when the electric grid is unavailable. NW Natural says it is on a “low carbon pathway” and aims for a voluntary carbon savings goal of 35% by 2035.
The city council discussed the NW Natural contract again in a meeting on June 16. In a shift from the Carbon Reduction Agreement proposal of February, city manager Sarah Medary suggested an alternative plan which included higher fees for the utility attached to greenhouse gas output.
Medary also proposed the first-ever use of Oregon Senate Bill 844, which is a voluntary incentive program for natural gas utilities to commit to projects that reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
Additionally, Medary’s proposed contract would have a length of four years instead of 10, and includes a 90 day escape clause which would allow either party to terminate the contract before it expires.
“What is the motive, ultimately, of a for-profit industry to reduce the one thing that they’re in business to advance, to make a profit?” asked Councilor Matt Keating of the agreement, urging the council to take a strong position in limiting the gas utility. “That’s what I’d like our work session to explore. What we can reasonably, and legally do to meet our carbon reduction goals, provide proper oversight and transition off of fossil fuel for the future of our planet.”
The council ultimately passed a motion to advance the compromise agreement including Medary.s suggestions with NW Natural. But, in a hopeful sign for the Fossil Free Eugene movement, Vinis and several council members expressed feeling that the agreement was not enough in limiting the utility, and that the city needs to consider gas elimination in new building construction and restricting further infrastructure development.
Members of the Fossil Free Eugene coalition are not stopping until its goals are met. Coalition groups are continuing to hold meetings and urging their supporters to write letters to the city.
AROUND the STATE of OREGON
WILDFIRE UPDATES
Northwest Current Incident Details
Incidents listed below meet large fire criteria and/or incidents with a Type 1 or 2 IMT assigned. Large incidents are defined as fires which are 100+ acres in timber or 300+ acres in grass/brush.
Jack Fire. OR-UPF-000265. IMT2, NW Team 9 (Goff) & OSFM Blue Team (Magers). 20 mi E of Glide, OR. Start 7/5. Full Suppression. Cause: Unknown. 4,224 acres (+1,829). 0% containment. Active fire behavior. Timber and brush. Structures threatened. Evacuations in effect. Road closures.
Bootleg. OR-FWF-210321. IMT2, NW Team 10 (Lawson) & OSFM Green Team (Lighty). 15 mi NW of Beatty, OR. Start 7/6. Full Suppression. Cause: Unknown. 28,000 acres (+17,000). 0% containment. Extreme fire behavior. Timber and brush. Evacuations in effect. Road closures.
Lewis Rock. OR-952S-021160. IMT1, ODF Team 3 (McCarty) 4.5 mi S of Mitchell, OR. Start 6/30. Full Suppression. Cause: Lightning. 440 acres (-72). 45% containment. Minimal fire behavior. Timber and grass.
Dixie Creek. OR-952S-021187. ICT3. 3 mi NW of Prairie City, OR. Start 7/03. Full Suppression. Cause: Lightning. 541 acres (+0). 75% containment. Moderate fire behavior. Timber and brush. No new information received.
https://gacc.nifc.gov/nwcc/content/products/intelligence/MORNINGBRIEF.pdf?2015-06-18%2015:01:49
JACK FIRE EVACUATION LEVELS
The Sheriff’s Office continues to coordinate with fire managers, County Commissioners, other County Departments and local agency partners in regard to the Jack Fire burning on the Umpqua National Forest. Effective 12:00 pm on Thursday, July 8, 2021, the following evacuation levels exist as a result of the Jack Fire:
LEVEL 3 “GO!”
- All residences and businesses located between milepost 43 and 51 on Highway 138E. This includes:
- All US Forest Service Campgrounds (Apple Creek, Horseshoe Bend, Eagle Rock)
- The Dry Creek Community as well as all residences on Illahee Road
Level 3 “GO!” means danger to the area is current or imminent and those located within the affected area should evacuate immediately. Those choosing to ignore the advisement, must understand that emergency services may not be available to assist any further. Emergency services urges those in the area not to delay leaving to gather any belongings or make efforts to protect a home or any structure. This is the last notice that will be issued.
LEVEL 2 “BE SET”
- All residences and businesses located between milepost 38 and 43 on Highway 138E. This includes:
- Steamboat Inn
- All residences located on Brindle Bug Road and Steelhead Caddis Road
- All residences and businesses located between milepost 51 and 55 on Highway 138E. This includes:
- Soda Springs Powerplant and surrounding areas.
Level 2 or “Be Set” means there is significant danger that exists to the area and those within the affected zone should either voluntarily relocate outside of the area or be ready to leave at a moment’s notice. You may have time to gather necessary items, but doing so is at your own risk. This could be the only notice that residents may receive. Emergency services cannot guarantee that they will be able to make additional notifications should conditions rapidly deteriorate.
LEVEL 1 “BE READY”
- All residences and businesses located between milepost 55 and 60 on Highway 138E. This includes:
- This includes the Slide Creek area and the Toketee residential area
- Toketee Lake and surrounding recreation sites.
Level 1 “BE READY” means those in the area should be aware of the danger that exists in the area, monitor emergency services websites and local media outlets for information. This is the time for preparation and precautionary movement of persons with special needs, mobile property and under certain circumstances, pets and livestock. If conditions worsen, emergency service personnel may contact you via an emergency notification system.
Resources for Evacuees
Residents who have been evacuated as a result of the Jack Fire may call the American Red Cross at (888) 680-1455 to be connected with resources.
Douglas County Emergency Notification System
All residents of the county, especially those under official evacuation notices, are encouraged to sign up for the Douglas County Emergency Notification System (DCENS). This tool is used to notify the public in circumstances of police activity, fires, evacuations, missing persons and more quickly and efficiently. Landline telephones are already uploaded in the system, however you can add cell phone numbers and email addresses. The registration process is easy and can be completed on the web. Register today at www.dcso.com/alerts.
Oregon State Marine Board Issues Temporary Rule to Close Portion of North Umpqua River
Due to public safety concerns and to aid in the fire suppression efforts, the Oregon State Marine Board has issued a temporary rule closing a portion of the North Umpqua River.
The closure is from the Boulder Flat boat launch at river mile 68, downstream to the Alder Creek confluence located at river mile 51.3. The restriction took effect on Wednesday July 7, 2021, and remains in effect through July 18, 2021, or until the temporary rule is lifted, whichever comes first.
The temporary rule notice can be viewed HERE:
Highway 138E Closed –Highway 138E remains closed at Steamboat Creek Road (mile post 38) through the Slide Creek area located at mile post 55. For current road information, please visit www.tripcheck.com
Information about the Jack Fire
A current and interactive evacuation map can be found at www.dcso.com/evacuations
Information about the Jack Fire:
Inciweb: https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/7605
Facebook: https://fb.me/JackFire2021
Jack Fire Information Number: (541) 201-2335
The Bootleg Fire continues to burn out of control on the Chiloquin Ranger District of the Fremont-Winema National Forest on Fuego Mountain, approximately 11 miles northeast of the town of Sprague River.
The Bootleg fire in Klamath County, which started Tuesday, had grown to nearly 17,000 acres as of Thursday afternoon and was 1% contained, fire authorities said. It was burning in mixed conifer and lodgepole pine in the Fremont-Winema National Forest.
Smoke from the fire is highly visible from Oregon State Highway 140, Sprague River Highway, Chiloquin and the surrounding area. Drivers should expect increased traffic in the area from fire equipment and are asked to use caution driving in the area. There is an emergency closure in place to public access/entry due to hazards and hazardous conditions created as a result of the Bootleg Fire – details are on the closures page.
Temperatures were expected to hit 90 degrees Fahrenheit and a red flag warning was in effect in the area. The blaze was on national forestland but residents around Sprague River and Beatty were in a watch zone.
Klamath County Emergency Manager Brandon Fowler said in a briefing Thursday evening that residents of the Klamath Forest Estates area were under Level 2 (get set) evacuation orders, meaning they need to be prepared to leave at a moment’s notice.
Fowler said residents of the Godowa Springs Road area were currently under Level 2 evacuation orders as well, but officials expected that they may be moved to Level 3 (leave immediately) later in the evening.
He said residents of the Upper Tablelands area were under Level 3 evacuation orders and needed to leave immediately.
For the latest evacuation information, visit https://www.facebook.com/KlamathCountyGov. To sign up for Klamath County alerts, visit http://alerts.klamathcounty.org.
Firefighters on the 541 acre Dixie Creek Fire near Prairie City have continued to make progress mopping up the interior of the fire, increasing the area of cool black adjacent to the fireline.
This work to secure the fire is a slow process, as firefighters grid the area looking and feeling for hot spots. The fire is 90% contained.
Firefighting resources are being released to other emerging incidents in the region as containment of the fire increases. Aircraft are available if needed to support suppression and mop-up activities.
Friday morning management of the fire will transition from High Desert Interagency Incident Management Team back to Oregon Department of Forestry’s John Day Unit. A type 4 organization will continue any remaining mop-up activities until the fire is in patrol status.
Mop-up is in full swing on the Lewis Rock Fire five miles south of Mitchell.
The size of the fire has not changed in three days, holding at 440 acres. Containment has reached 30 percent. Part of the mop-up process includes a two-person crew armed with hand-held infrared cameras to detect hot spots undetectable to the human eye.
These patches of heat can smolder beneath the surface of bulldozer berms, stumps, rocks and downed logs. Once detected, the area is unearthed with hand tools and soaked much like drowning a campfire. Extreme fire weather consisting of elevated temperatures, low humidity and gusty winds will continue throughout the week maintaining the potential threat of flare-ups within control lines.
Fire prevention remains a top priority across the region. Fire officials would like to remind the public to follow fire season restrictions and pay particular attention to any spark emitting activities such as campfires, small equipment use and off-road driving. Current fire restrictions and information for ODF’s Central Oregon District is available at www.odfcentraloregon.com.
Investigators Confirm Fireworks Caused Deadly NE Portland Apartment Fire
Fireworks have been confirmed as the cause of the four-alarm fire that burned down an apartment complex in inner Northeast Portland and killed two people, according to Portland Fire and Rescue Thursday.
The fire broke out early in the morning on July 4, killing Robert William Gremillion and Seth Robert Thompson, and injuring several people, including one who remains hospitalized in critical but stable condition.
Two apartment buildings were destroyed and a third was badly damaged. Portland fire officials declined to offer many details behind their conclusion, emphasizing that their investigation is “open and ongoing.”
“We can’t get into the specifics but all the evidence collected has helped lead to this,” stated public information officer Terry Foster.
Eyewitnesses at the scene told media outlets they heard fireworks early the morning of July 4 before the fire broke out. Foster offered one further detail about how the fire started, saying the fire “was determined to start in a dumpster in the parking area.”
Gov. Brown Directs OSHA to Issue Heat-Related Requirements on Employers to Protect Workers
Employers will have to provide their workers with cool-down breaks, drinking water, and access to shade during periods of extreme heat like those impacting Oregon right now, OSHA stipulates in a new emergency rule.
Governor Kate Brown directed the agency to act earlier this week after triple-digit temperatures resulted in the deaths of more than 100 Oregonians during the recent highs.
OSHA was already in the process of drafting permanent rules, but they are not expected to take effect until this fall.
The temporary rule is effective immediately and will stay in place for 180 days while the permanent rules remain under development. It applies to any workplace “where heat dangers are caused by the weather.” The OSHA rule has two levels of requirements — first when the heat index is equal to or above 80 degrees Fahrenheit, and another set when it rises above 90 degrees.
Oregon Community Foundation Efficiently Wraps Up Project Turnkey with 19 Properties in 13 Oregon Counties, Adding Nearly 900 Units of Emergency Housing, a 20 Percent Increase in the State’s Supply
Portland and Salem, Ore. – July 8, 2021 – Oregon Community Foundation announced today that Project Turnkey, for which the foundation has served as the administrator and fiduciary, successfully wrapped up on deadline with 19 total properties throughout 13 Oregon counties, adding nearly 900 beds/units of emergency housing. Find a detailed list of all Project Turnkey projects in the OCF Press Room.
The latest Project Turnkey grants announced today came through additional funding of $9.7 million approved by the Oregon Legislature and signed by Governor Kate Brown on June 25, 2021, bringing the Project Turnkey funding total to $74.7 million.
“Legislators and community leaders stepped up to cut through bureaucratic hurdles and take fast action to meet urgent sheltering needs in communities across Oregon,” said Oregon House Speaker Tina Kotek. “I’m deeply appreciative of this collaboration. Hundreds in need of shelter will be able to find a safe place to stay because of this innovative program.”
Project Turnkey represents about a 20 percent increase in the state’s supply of emergency year-round shelter beds for people experiencing homelessness, accelerating what might normally be a multi-year real estate development process into less than eight months.
“Project Turnkey reflects an enormous and collaborative statewide effort to quickly deploy an innovative solution for a complex set of challenges for communities facing increased houseless impacts,” said Max Williams, President and CEO, Oregon Community Foundation. “We were honored to partner with so many to see this project deliver much-needed support to communities across the state.”
What’s Next
The Project Turnkey Community Advisory Committee will officially conclude the project soon by reviewing insights and sharing key learnings included in a comprehensive report that OCF will deliver to the Oregon Legislature in early August, 2021.
“It is a rare and wonderful thing to have a committee as engaged and dedicated as this one,” said Megan Loeb, Program Officer, Oregon Community Foundation, speaking of the Advisory Committee of diverse stakeholders that provided review and recommendation for all grants. “They have continuously centered community as well as equity in this work, and we are so grateful for their important contributions to Project Turnkey.”
Project Turnkey successfully increased the state’s supply of emergent housing by 20 percent through acquisitions of shelter properties in 19 Oregon communities across 13 counties. Each Project Turnkey operation is locally created, owned and operated by local government and/or nonprofit community partners. Each Project Turnkey operation is designed to meet the needs of its community’s priority populations, ranging from fire survivors to domestic violence survivors to Veterans to people experiencing chronic homelessness.
“Often, government says ‘We know the solution.’ In truth, the community living the experience and walking through it daily know best what is needed,” said Will Miller, Government Affairs Manager, Native American Youth and Family Center, and Project Turnkey Advisory Committee member. “This example of the Oregon Legislature trusting OCF and the Advisory Committee with decision-making power to get these dollars out the door, to community members, is a really big lesson for our state and hopefully a model for the federal government as well.”
Oregon Community Foundation offers support for Oregon’s housing needs along a continuum — from shelter to supportive housing to affordable housing to equitable home ownership — through a variety of tools, including research, grants, advocacy, and low-interest loans. OCF’s administration of Project Turnkey is one example of the innovative, collaborative approaches launched to help more Oregonians find stable, affordable housing.
About Project Turnkey
The Oregon Legislature allocated $65 million initially for Project Turnkey for the purpose of acquiring motels/hotels for use as non-congregate shelter for people experiencing homelessness or at-risk of homelessness. Two discrete funds were provided by the state: one totaling $30 million to be awarded in counties and tribal communities impacted by the 2020 wildfires; and one totaling $35 million for the remaining 28 counties in the state. An additional $9.7 million was allocated in late June 2021 to fund additional projects that were substantially through the due diligence process. Oregon Community Foundation has successfully administered both funds through an application and selection process, with guidance from an Advisory Committee of state, local, and community stakeholders.
“Project Turnkey establishes a pragmatic and scalable model that has empowered communities struggling to provide for community members experiencing homelessness,” said Oregon State Representative Pam Marsh, District 5. “I’m optimistic that Project Turnkey outcomes will validate this approach and allow our state and even our country to grow this model.”
Longer term, Oregon Housing and Community Services (OHCS) is committed to providing ongoing support and technical assistance for Project Turnkey projects.
About Oregon Community Foundation
Oregon Community Foundation puts donated money to work in Oregon – more than $100 million in grants and scholarships annually. Since 1973, OCF grantmaking, research, advocacy and community-advised solutions have helped individuals, families, businesses, and organizations create charitable funds to improve lives for all Oregonians. Impactful giving–time, talent, and resources from many generous Oregonians–creates measurable change. Throughout 2020, OCF responded quickly and urgently – distributing a record-setting $220 million in charitable dollars to more than 3,000 nonprofits throughout Oregon working to address urgent needs, stabilize communities and prepare for long-term recovery in Oregon. OCF donors responded to the magnitude of need, as reflected in a 44% increase in donor advised fund grantmaking from the previous year. For more information, please visit: oregoncf.org. — Oregon Community Foundation
Record Heat Wave And Drought Affecting Crops Across Oregon Worsening Loss To Growers
Dave Dillon, executive vice president of the Oregon Farm Bureau, said he is not sure there is any part of the state that has not been impacted this year by the heat dome, the ongoing drought, the ice storm in February, and the effects of wildfire smoke late last summer and happening now.
For farmers, he said the heatwave also comes on the heels of major market disruptions for agricultural products during the pandemic, the impacts of trade policies under the Trump administration, and three to four years of “bad prices for products.”
“You start kind of accumulating all of that weight, and it is a really tough time to be a farmer right now,” he said.
Dillon said the hardest hit by the heatwave has been for growers of caneberries — including blueberries, blackberries and marionberries — and cherries, all high-value items.
Dillon also said no federal program is available to help farmers recover from the kinds of losses accrued in the heatwave with regard to specialty crops, such as fruits and vegetables. “They’re not gigantic commodities, like corn or soybeans,” he said.
And while the heatwave did considerable damage on its own to agriculture throughout the state, he said its combination with the drought is likely to worsen immediate and longer-term effects.
Smith Berry Barn in Hillsboro lost around half of its raspberries and 25% to 50% of its blackberries during the heat wave. On day two, owner Rich Hildner worked to avoid that outcome — setting his water cannon and sprinklers to move from acre to acre in half the normal time to ensure all his crops were hydrated that same day.
Even with full irrigation, Hildner said raspberries cannot withstand temperatures over 90 degrees and turned white and dry on one side. Blackberries were damaged as well, and he expects green apples toward the top of trees to soon fall after brown rings were burned into them. “I think everything just got tired of the sun,” he said.
Hildner said he tried to prepare when he knew the heat wave was imminent, but he could not protect all 20 to 22 acres. “We did as much as we could,” he said. “You can’t cover everything with an umbrella when you grow as many acres as we do.”
Nodaway Blueberry Barn owner Sam Pap said he considered himself lucky to lose just around 20% of the Hillsboro farm’s blueberries, as only the ripe berries were scorched. Due to the extreme heat, those hidden under leaves from direct sunlight still wrinkled to resemble raisins.
The last time Pap remembered his crops were similarly damaged by heat was in 2009. In both instances, he said the impact was exacerbated by berries not being able to cool down overnight.
Most berries, Pap said, are resilient to heat even up to 100 degrees if they can cool down after nightfall with temperatures in the 60-62 range. During the heatwave, evening temperatures ranged from 72 to 82 degrees, which he said berries can endure only briefly before becoming dehydrated after two days.
Pap said he is unsure how he could prepare for a similar heat event down the line. “I just chalked it up to one of these variables that me personally, I do not have any control over,” he said, “because I just can’t control the heat.”
Other Oregon farmers were more fortunate. Aside from squash plants and some scorching on leaves, crops grown at Sun Love Farm in Oregon City suffered virtually no damage during the heatwave, said owner Melissa Streng.
Streng took precautions in the day prior, covering broccoli and lettuce with a shade cloth that cooled the crops by blocking out 30% of the sunlight beaming down on them. She also sprayed the plants with kaolin clay, which is commonly used to deter pests from crops but can also provide sun protection by whitening the crops and acting as a sunscreen.
Knowing broccoli heads would not survive the heatwave, she harvested broccoli she thought had reached full maturity. She would normally have left them in the field until their normal harvest day before going out to customers through pickup or delivery.
Some crops such as tomatoes, peppers, squash and cucumbers are “heat-loving plants,” Streng said. Even so, she thought the record-setting heat could be damaging. “But they were more resilient than I expected,” she said.
In preparation for a future heatwave, Streng said she plans on investing in more shade cloth and a backup water source, such as a rainwater collection system. She said all her plants would have died if the farm’s water supply was shut off during the heatwave.
With the city water the vegetable farm currently runs on, she watered all plants every day during the heatwave rather than every three days as she normally does.
The heat is also negatively affecting the crops themselves. Across the region, wheat crops were already suffering from drought prior to the heatwave. When wheat is stressed, it stops making grain, so the heatwave will most likely reduce the number of kernels of wheat products and shrivel many of the wheat berries making them lighter weight, according to USDA wheat expert Craig Morris.
“I think three-quarters is probably pretty realistic from what I’m hearing,” Morris told OPB. “But again, until the combines roll and the trucks get filled up and go across the scales, and go to the elevator … we aren’t going to know for certain.”
Additionally, Pacific Northwest cherry growers are concerned for their crops amid the scorching hot weather during the harvest. Some growers are preparing for predawn harvests while others start at sunrise, but the 100-plus degree temperatures could damage crops despite these efforts.