Malheur County Pulse

• Incident: A Kenworth tanker truck rolled down an embankment on I-84 eastbound near milepost 340 on October 2, injuring the 27-year-old driver
  -...

• Oct 7: Parks and Rec Committee meeting
• Oct 12: EMS Committee meeting
• Oct 13: City Council at Vale City Hall with Zoom option (ID: 2254214421, passcode 048643)
• Oct 19: Public Works meeting
• Oct 27: City Council at Vale City Hall with same Zoom details

Oregon's 2026 wildfire season scorched 2.5 million acres statewide, the worst on record by land burned.

• Big Grass Wildfire burned 578,637 acres in...

CCNO Food Bank distribution fell to 1 million pounds this year—down 154,000 from last year—after the February 2025 end of federal Commodity Credit...

Eastern Oregon ranchers face mounting cattle losses, with 90 deaths reported last year from wolf attacks, plus chronic stress that cuts calf births...

Oregon DEQ issued six penalties totaling $184,387 in August for environmental violations.

• Seubert Excavators in Ontario: $47,454 for failing to...

October 13 is the deadline to register or update your info for the November election.

• Register online, mail a form, or visit a county office or...

The Honoring Fallen Wildland Firefighters Act would lift the maximum death benefit for survivors from $10,000 to as much as $100,000, matching...

The Big Grass Fire scorched over 578,000 acres in Malheur County this summer amid a national spike in burned land.

Key risk factors include:

• Dry...

Malheur County is included in the SBA disaster declaration for mid-July storms and wildfires, making Economic Injury Disaster Loans available to...

Malheur County ranchers facing high fence replacement costs after wildfires can explore virtual fencing at an Oct. 23 Jordan Valley event.

• Key...

FEMA's $9 million in new grants will help Oregon fire departments secure staff, equipment, and training to improve emergency response and firefighter...

Malheur National Forest rolls out a new online e-Permit system starting October 6, letting residents grab permits anytime from a phone or computer...

Oregon fire agencies responded to 649 lithium-ion battery fires from 2020-2025, with incidents climbing 19% yearly. In 2025 alone, responses hit...

Malheur National Forest firewood permits shift to an online e-Permit system starting October 6, 2026, letting residents buy Personal Use (free) or Commercial ($5/cord) permits from any device with no office visit required.

• Sage Lee Goin, 33, pleaded guilty to three counts of first-degree encouraging child sexual abuse.
• Court imposed three consecutive 16-month prison...

A deadly roadside crash on I-84 near North Powder killed 46-year-old Kevin Russell when a westbound semi struck his disabled Peterbilt and hit him on...

Courthouse therapy dogs like eight-year-old Labrador LisaLu provide vital emotional support to children and vulnerable victims as they take the stand during the hardest days of their lives.

Stay connected with these Malheur County opportunities next week.

• Thursday Oct 1: Ontario Visitor board meets at 7 a.m.; Friends of the Library at...

Oregon's 2026 wildfire season shattered records with 2.1 million acres burned — nearly all east of the Cascades — and $1.4 billion in suppression...