Published: Oct 7, 2025 Updated: Oct 8, 2025
Staff Reporter
Cottage Grove Sentinel
The Weyerhaeuser Company has donated 38 acres of land in Disston, Ore. to Row River Fire Response (RRFR), reinforcing the company’s commitment to wildfire response in Oregon’s rural communities.
The donated land, which connects the Row River and Lower Brice Creek areas, will serve as the site for a new RRFR emergency substation facility for the Row River Rural Fire Protection, aimed at improving wildfire response times, according to a release from Weyerhaeuser.
RRFR is an Oregon 501(c)(3) nonprofit that provides support for fire and emergency services in the Row River Valley, a rural area outside Cottage Grove that experiences high wildfire risk each summer and historically has not had rapid access to city fire department services.
Rural fire protection districts frequently operate with limited resources and are often the first responders to wildfires in remote or hard-to-reach areas across Oregon.
“Thriving, resilient communities are vital to the well-being of our employees, our neighbors and the places where we live and work in Oregon,” Weyerhaeuser Land use Manager Lyndcy Patrick said. “By supporting organizations like RRFR, Weyerhaeuser can make a real difference in wildfire response and help ensure these first responders can keep our communities and forests healthy.”
The donation follows a $25,000 grant Weyerhaeuser awarded to RRFR in 2023 through its Giving Fund to support infrastructure costs for the new fire facility. The new Disston Substation will be a satellite fire station equipped with a fire truck and water tender. The facility will enhance emergency response times in Dorena, Culp Creek and surrounding areas, according to the release.
“We can’t thank Weyerhaeuser enough for this generous donation and their support for the strength and resilience of rural communities,” RRFR Executive Director Kathleen Istudor said. “The land donation provides more than just infrastructure. It gives our firefighters the resources to respond quickly and gives our community much-needed protection. With wildfire risk on the rise and many neighbors living on limited means, this donation will help us ensure no one is left behind in a time of crisis.”
RRFR provides first responder services in Dorena, Culp Creek and Disston where access to city fire services has historically been limited. Istudor said RRFR will utilize the land to establish a new emergency facility, enhancing wildfire response times.
Weyerhaeuser officials said the donation to RRFR is a long-standing commitment by the company to invest in the communities where it operates. Over the past several years, Weyerhaeuser has donated more than $70,000 to support rural fire protection districts and fire departments in its operating communities. Through land donations, the Weyerhaeuser Giving Fund and its Aviation Program, which supports aerial wildfire response in Lane County, the company continues to play an active role in Oregon’s wildfire safety, the release states.
For more information about Weyerhaeuser’s community initiatives, visit https://weyerhaeuser.com/company/values/citizenship. To learn more about Row River Fire Response, visit https://rowrivervalley.org/. To learn more about the Row River Rural Fire Protection District, visit: https://rowriverfire.org
