🔥 A warning on federal wildfire response

Oregon Members of Congress Warn About Federal Wildfire Response

Four members of Oregon’s congressional delegation — both U.S. senators as well as U.S. Reps. Suzanne Bonamici and Andrea Salinas — warned last week that the federal response to the wildfire season may be lacking. [Oregon Capital Chronicle]

• Federal agency response: The Department of the Interior says it has hired 5,700 wildland fire personnel for this year — roughly the same as last year. [Oregon Capital Chronicle]
• Fewer people to fight the fires: U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden noted that the U.S. Forest Service has lost more than 1,400 employees that had a certification for responding to wildfires. U.S. Reps. Andrea Salinas and Suzanne Bonamici say they’re concerned about the impact of the Trump administration cuts to weather forecasting and air-quality monitoring, among other science-related functions. [Oregon Capitol Chronicle]
• Less debris clearing: Salinas also expressed concern that federal workers cleared less debris from forest floors than in 2024 — about 35,000 fewer acres. [Oregon Capitol Chronicle]
• Key stat: The federal government owns 32 million acres in Oregon — or put another way, more than half the state. [Oregon Capitol Chronicle]
• Context: Officials are anticipating a potentially hectic wildfire season. Oregon had one of the warmest winters on record. The snowpack is at a third of the normal level. [Oregon Capitol Chronicle]

A Quick Guide to Astoria

Food and drink writer Alex Frane offered a quick tour for anyone planning to visit Astoria this summer. That Oregon town is definitely getting some love from cruise ships — with 28,000 visitors expected to come through the small city with 10,000 residents. [City Cast Portland 🎧]

• The recs: Frane picked some under-the-radar spots for your next visit to the north coast:
  • Ship Out has fish and chips.
  • Brut Wine Bar has quality wines from Europe and Oregon.
  • Fort George, a well-known brewery, has the best pizza in town.
  • Gaetano’s Italian Market has tasty sandwiches and a seafood lasagna.

Oregon Supreme Court OK’s Flavored Tobacco Ban

In 2021, Washington County passed Oregon’s first ban on flavored tobacco products, which covers menthol and fruit flavors in the form of cigarettes, vapes, and hookahs. But the law was on hold for years, after a lawsuit, filed in 2022, argued that a new state law requiring licenses for retailers selling tobacco preempted all county tobacco regulations. Now the Oregon Supreme Court has ruled, saying the counties are in fact allowed to pass more stringent tobacco regulations. [OPB]

• The stakes: Even though it’s not legal to sell tobacco products to anyone under 21, advocates of the ban say advertising for flavored tobacco targets minors. [OPB]
• More bans? Multnomah County approved a similar ban, which will also faces a challenge in state courts. [OPB]

Police Rescue 6 Underaged Teens From Human Trafficking

Portland Police rescued six teenage girls, ages 13 and 17, over the course of three weeks. At a press conference last week, a police official said they have seen an increase in minors along 82nd Avenue, known as a hotspot for prostitution. Safety Compass, an Oregon nonprofit that helps sex-trafficking survivors, has also seen more minors seeking help. [OPB]