Madras Says No to Data Center Proposals as Oregon Weighs Industry Moratorium

Historically low snowpack, record-warm winter temperatures, and unprecedented water curtailments combined to force Jefferson County producers to idle roughly a third of their irrigated acreage this growing season — one of the toughest agricultural years in recent memory.

With 99% containment secured on the 373,927-acre Rowe Creek Complex, firefighters are pushing hard to complete suppression repair work across all affected fire areas before seasonal precipitation slows operations.

The Jefferson County Sheriff's Office fielded 883 calls for service in August, with Crooked River Ranch accounting for the highest call volume of any unincorporated community, according to the department's monthly report released this week.

Warm Springs fire managers have raised Industrial Fire Precaution Levels in Zone 1 to Level 3 this week, with Zones 2 and 3 moving to Level 2. A reservation-wide burn ban remains in effect. Across wider Central Oregon, restrictions eased to Stage 1 on September 5, but officials caution that fire season is not over.

An internship grant is giving Crooked River Ranch Fire & Rescue the capacity to do something small volunteer departments often struggle to fit in alongside emergency calls: stay consistently connected with the community they serve. Chief Sean Hartley says the funding fills a real gap.