Fire Stations for the Row River Area
The Row River area is a place of remarkable natural richness. Forested hillsides, rivers and wetlands support elk, deer, birds, fish, and countless other species. The valley is also home to the Row River Trail, one of the top bike and pedestrian destinations in Lane County, drawing residents and visitors year-round. At the upper end of the valley, the community serves as a doorway into the Umpqua National Forest, connecting people directly to vast forestlands, recreation, and critical watershed areas.
At the same time, the Row River area is rural, high wildfire risk, and served by limited emergency infrastructure. Many residents rely on a single primary access route, and emergency response times can be long due to distance and terrain. As wildfire seasons grow longer and more severe, the absence of nearby fire stations puts homes, visitors, forests, and water resources at increasing risk.
To address this need, the community came together to form the Row River Rural Fire Protection District and begin planning for two strategically located fire stations. The Dorena Main Fire Station will serve as the central hub for emergency response, coordination, and training, while the Disston Fire Station will provide critical coverage for the upper valley and forested areas where wildfire risk is especially high.Together, these stations will improve response times, protect lives and property, and help safeguard the watershed and surrounding forests that define this region.
These fire stations are essential not only for protecting lives and homes, but also for safeguarding the surrounding environment. The Row River watershed supplies drinking water, supports wildlife habitat, and connects directly to surrounding state and national forest lands. Local fire protection helps reduce the risk of catastrophic fires that can damage water quality, forests, and the long-term health of the region.
We are actively raising funds to support planning, preconstruction, and construction of both fire stations. This effort relies on a combination of public funding, grants, and community support. By investing in local fire stations, we are protecting not only our neighbors and homes, but also the wildlife, trails, forests, and water resources that make the Row River Valley a special place to live and visit.
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How the Row River Fire District and Fire Stations Are Funded
The Row River Rural Fire Protection District uses local tax funds only for operations. Given the size of our community, local tax revenue is carefully allocated to ensure reliable operations, and it does not extend to funding fire station construction.
No district tax dollars are used for fire station land, planning, site work, or construction.
Not one cent of local tax revenue goes toward purchasing property, pre-construction planning, land clearing, or building the fire stations.
Fire station projects are funded separately.
A local nonprofit organization made up of neighbor volunteers is responsible for raising the funds needed to plan and build the stations. This includes working with private funders, Lane County, the State of Oregon, and the federal government.
Planning, coordination, and outreach for the fire stations began before the fire district was approved by voters, and that work continues alongside district operations.
Where We Are Now and What Is in Progress
Over the past few years, our community has made substantial progress toward improving local fire protection and emergency readiness.
What has been achieved:
- The community successfully voted to form the Row River Rural Fire Protection District, creating a locally governed and locally funded fire district.
- The district is now operational and uses tax revenue solely for emergency response, equipment, training, and ongoing readiness.
- Land for fire station sites has been secured.
- Initial planning, coordination, and technical groundwork for fire station development have been completed.
- Partnerships have been established with Lane County and state and federal agencies to support future infrastructure development.
- Community volunteers have organized through a nonprofit to focus specifically on station planning, fundraising, and coordination.
What is currently in progress:
- Fundraising for fire station planning and construction through private funders, grants, and public partners.
- Pre-construction work, including design refinements, permitting, and foundational federal requirements such as environmental studies, income survey, land use review, and transportation studies.
- Continued coordination with Lane County, the State of Oregon, and federal partners to align funding opportunities.
- Planning for phased construction so that essential emergency response infrastructure can be built as funding becomes available.
- Fire station construction is a multi-year process that depends on assembling several funding sources. While there may not always be visible activity at the site, work is ongoing behind the scenes to move the project forward responsibly and sustainably.
The nonprofit coordinating this work remains fully engaged year-round. Effort continues throughout the year to advance planning, secure funding, and keep the fire station projects moving forward. While progress can take time, the commitment to seeing these stations built is constant, and the work will continue until that goal is achieved. We will continue to share updates as progress is made.
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