SALEM, Ore. — The Oregon Air National Guard activated 44 airmen Aug. 7, 2026, forming two 22-person hand crews to support wildland firefighting on the Grasshopper Fire in the Mount Hood National Forest. Airmen with the 142nd Wing and 173rd Fighter Wing arrived by charter bus at Anderson Readiness Center in Salem to begin Joint Reception, Staging, Onward Movement and Integration before departing for fire camp.
The activation marked the first time in Oregon National Guard history that Air National Guard personnel led the state's ground firefighting response, building on an ongoing wildfire support mission that also includes Oregon Army National Guard helicopters flying water bucket and medevac operations across the state.
