Medford, Ore. — The Applegate Fire District has recently bolstered its wildfire response capabilities with the addition of a new Type 3 Wildland Urban Interface Engine, just in time for the upcoming fire season. Purchased from Ashland Fire & Rescue, the engine is designed to enhance the district’s ability to effectively tackle wildfires, particularly in remote areas that are often difficult to access.
This new engine brings critical features to the district, including four-wheel drive and a shorter wheelbase, allowing firefighters to navigate rugged terrain that larger engines may struggle to reach. Lieutenant Dalton Koontz of the Applegate Fire District highlighted the importance of these attributes, explaining that the engine’s versatility will allow the district to respond more effectively to a variety of incidents.
“Having the capabilities like four-wheel drive and a shorter wheelbase allows us to access certain areas that may be harder to reach with other apparatus,” Koontz said. “It gives us the tools necessary to get an apparatus there and provide a positive outcome for whatever incident we respond to.”
The addition of the engine is particularly timely, following the experience of the Applegate area during last year’s first wildfire of the season. Koontz recalled how the district had to call in a strike team of engines from Northern Oregon due to the challenges of accessing certain fire-prone areas. The new engine would have been an invaluable resource during that fire, allowing for more immediate access to crucial areas and enhancing the district’s firefighting capabilities.
“For that fire, we actually called in a strike team of engines from Northern Oregon,” Koontz explained. “Having an apparatus like this would have greatly benefited us to get into some of those areas and provide the necessary tools and equipment to fight fires like that.”
The purchase of the engine was made possible thanks to the generosity of the local community. The Friends of the Applegate Fire District raised over $72,000, surpassing their original fundraising goal of $50,000. The funds will help outfit the engine with the necessary equipment to prepare for wildfire season, ensuring that it is fully operational and ready for deployment when needed.
“Our initial goal was actually $50,000, and we reached $72,000,” Koontz noted. “That extra money will allow us to outfit it with the necessary equipment needed to actually use it.”
The Applegate Fire District plans to host a public event later this year to officially mark the new engine’s entry into service, giving the community an opportunity to see the engine up close and celebrate this important addition to their firefighting resources.
As wildfire season approaches, the new Type 3 engine stands as a testament to the Applegate Fire District’s commitment to improving its emergency response capabilities and protecting the local community from the growing threat of wildfires.