Warming Shelter
As temperatures drop into the 30s, the Florence Warming Center is ready to provide support for those in need. Located at the Florence Unitarian Universalist Fellowship on Heceta Beach Road and Highway 101, the center opens at 5 p.m. and offers dinner, sleeping mats, and linens, closing at 8 a.m. after breakfast. The shelter follows safety guidelines outlined by the Oregon Fire Marshal, which were shared with organizers by Western Lane Fire and EMS Chief Michael Schick. These include smoke and carbon monoxide alarms, evacuation plans, and fire safety equipment. Those in need of shelter should look for white flags at Fred Meyer, the library, Safeway, Grocery Outlet, and 37th Street Laundry for free rides to the center starting at 5 p.m. Morning transportation from the shelter is also available.
More Firefighters to California
The Oregon State Fire Marshal is sending six additional strike teams of water tenders and 70 firefighters to assist with wildfire efforts in Southern California. This brings the total to 30 water tenders and 370 firefighters deployed from counties across Oregon, including Lane, Clackamas, Douglas, and Multnomah. These teams, mobilized through the Oregon Fire Mutual Aid System, will join 15 strike teams already working in California. They will undergo safety checks before receiving assignments from CAL Fire. State Fire Marshal Mariana Ruiz-Temple emphasized that the system ensures adequate coverage for Oregon communities while supporting neighbors in need. Water tenders, including Oregon’s new tactical models from the OSFM Engine Program, play a critical role in combating wildfires by delivering large amounts of water. The deployment is part of a coordinated response through the Emergency Management Assistance Compact, with costs reimbursed by California.
Farmer’s Market?
It’s likely that a Farmer’s Market will be coming to the site of a building that was demolished last week on Highway 101 in Florence. Alex Caisse, speaking for the property owner, says he has been focusing on trying to find a way to utilize the building that stood on 101 at Laurel Street since 1936. But, he said, it just wasn’t feasible. Caisse says there are many small farmers in the area that want to have a regular outlet for their products, that’s why he and property owner Raycen Raines are working to provide that. Caisse didn’t have a timeline on when they may start on the next step in the process, but he hoped to begin that soon.
