Main Fire Station Project

Building long-term emergency response capacity for the Row River Valley, a rural Oregon community facing high wildfire risk and limited emergency infrastructure.

The Row River Valley is a rural Oregon community facing high wildfire risk, limited emergency infrastructure, and a single primary access route serving residents and visitors. This corridor serves as a gateway to the Umpqua National Forest and supports a watershed relied upon by downstream communities.

In 2024, local residents voted to establish a volunteer fire district. Today, planning, partnerships, and preconstruction efforts are actively underway to develop a permanent fire station serving the valley.

Why a Main Fire Station

The Row River Valley currently faces:

  • High and extreme wildfire risk
  • Long emergency response challenges
  • Limited infrastructure for emergency apparatus and equipment
  • Increasing visitor traffic through the corridor

Emergency apparatus are currently housed in temporary facilities, underscoring the need for permanent year-round infrastructure supporting reliable emergency response. A permanent fire station will improve emergency coordination, apparatus readiness, firefighter operations, and long-term resilience for the community.

How You Can Help

As wildfire risk, visitor traffic, and emergency demands continue increasing across the region, permanent response infrastructure has become an important long-term priority for the valley.

The Main Fire Station project represents a long-term investment in safety, resilience, and emergency response capacity for the Row River Valley and the surrounding region.

This work includes active coordination with private funders, Lane County, the State of Oregon, federal partners, and community stakeholders.

Support from volunteers, partners, donors, and public agencies continues moving this work forward.

DONATE!

Step 1: Community formed a fire district

Local residents organized to place formation of the Row River Rural Fire Protection District on the May 2024 ballot after years of concern regarding wildfire risk, delayed response times, and limited emergency infrastructure in the valley.

The measure passed with community support, officially establishing a 100% volunteer fire district serving the Row River Valley. Since formation, volunteers have continued training and developing local emergency response capacity.

COMPLETE!

Step 2: A site was identified and land was secured

A centrally located site was identified and secured through a land donation specifically intended for fire station development. This provided the project with a permanent foundation for long-term emergency response infrastructure in the valley.

The station location supports improved response coordination, apparatus housing, firefighter training, and community emergency operations.

SECURED!

Step 3: Partner coordination

Coordination efforts began prior to voter approval of the fire district and continue today alongside district operations.

The Row River Valley Community Partnership is actively working with local government, Lane County representatives, state agencies, private funders, and federal partners to advance planning, permitting pathways, technical review, and project funding strategies.

This phase has included outreach, project coordination, early site evaluation, grant development, and partnership building necessary to move a rural capital project forward.

ACTIVE & CONTINUING!

Step 4: Preconstruction work is underway

Preconstruction is the technical and administrative work required before construction can begin.

This phase includes:

  • Site evaluation
  • Engineering and design coordination
  • Environmental review and permitting pathways
  • Cost estimating and construction review
  • Funding coordination and readiness preparation

The project is currently advancing through these steps in coordination with local and regional partners to position the station for future construction funding opportunities.

UNDERWAY!

Step 5: Federal Funding Advancement

The Dorena Main Fire Station project has advanced into both the House and Senate federal appropriations processes through Community Project Funding requests submitted by Oregon’s congressional delegation.

While federal funding decisions remain competitive, advancement through both chambers represents a major milestone for a small rural Oregon community and strengthens the project’s overall funding position.

Step 6: Construction begins once shovel-ready and fully funded

Once design, permitting, and funding requirements are complete, the project will move into contractor selection and phased construction.

Current, we are avancing practical and cost-effective construction approach capable of moving emergency apparatus into permanent facilities as quickly as possible while supporting future expansion and long-term community needs.

IN PLANNING!

Project Momentum

✓ Fire district established in 2024

✓ Permanent station site secured

✓ Federal House and Senate submissions advancing

✓ Senator Wyden and Senator Merkley each submitted a $1.9 million request for the project.

✓ On the House side, the Appropriations Committee recommended $803,000 with Congresswoman Hoyle’s support.

✓ Coordination underway with Lane County and state partners

✓ Preconstruction readiness actively progressing

✓ Local fundraising and private grant efforts ongoing

Dorena Main Station Update — October 2026

The Dorena Main Station continues to move forward. The approximately 35-acre station property was donated by Dr. Walt Bernard, and much of the early work needed to prepare the site for construction has been completed, including environmental review, land-use work and driveway approval.

The station is estimated at approximately $3.4 million. Federal funding requests have advanced through the congressional appropriations process, including an $803,000 House request supported by Congresswoman Val Hoyle and Senate requests supported by Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley. Final federal funding decisions are still pending.

While we wait, RRVCP continues working with the fire district, public agencies, foundations and private partners to build the funding needed to move the station toward construction. The community has already done the hard work of creating its own rural fire district and securing land for a permanent home. Our job now is to help turn that investment into a working fire station.

The need remains urgent. The district’s temporary station is on property that has been sold, leaving the long-term home for apparatus, equipment and volunteer firefighters unresolved.

What’s next: Secure the remaining public and private funding needed to move the Dorena Main Station into construction.

Donate monthly small amounts through Stripe or Mail a Check to: Row River Fire Response, PO Box 4, Dorena Oregon 97434