Heat Set Fire Department on Alert
With the coast already under extreme fire conditions, the hot weather that hit on Saturday exacerbated the situation. Operations Chief for Siuslaw Valley fire and Rescue and Western Lane ambulance, Matt House said early Saturday crews responded to 6 different calls of drooping trees on power lines with the potential of starting fires. He said one was in the Ada area and he had to ask Oregon Department of Forestry to assist with that one. Temperatures in the mid to high 80’s in some parts of the coast along with two weeks without any significant rain fall caused the trees to droop. House said that after the 6 early calls he sent rolling patrols around the district to try to ward off any additional emergencies. Sunday continued to be warm along the coast with temperatures in the mid to upper 70’s. there is a slight chance for rain later in the week, with most days in the low 70’s.
Latest COVID-19 Numbers
Since Friday the COVID-19 pandemic has claimed another 5 people including a 73 year old Lane County woman with underlying health conditions. The coronavirus has now claimed a total of 388 people in the state. New reported cases for Lane County since Friday is 14 for a total of 625 cases. There are currently 22 people considered infectious and one hospitalization. Statewide the count of new cases is 987 which includes numbers from Friday through Sunday. There has now been 23,262 cases to date.
Lumber Prices Soar as Result of Pandemic
The price of lumber as well as the availability of some wood products has taken a hit during the pandemic. Since the beginning of the coronavirus outbreak and the subsequent shutdown of the economy, prices on items like plywood have seen a 40 % increase here in Florence. Lumber and treated lumber have also seen the same increases. A 4×8 sheet of plywood averaged around $13 dollars just a short time ago and now is at or above the $20 dollar mark at retailers in Florence. Two of the problems with availability is the supply chain has been severely cut back as well as production.
Start of School Forum
This evening at 6:30 the Siuslaw School District will be hosting a back to school forum via a zoom conference. The meeting will be discussing the upcoming school year and parents and students will have the opportunity to ask questions. The zoom conference details and a link to the meeting are available on the districts website at Siuslaw.k12.or.us.
