Wasco County Sheriff's Office

10/27/2026

There have been questions regarding the Burn Ban in Wasco County. For properties outside a formal fire district, please review the current Wasco County Burn Ban Order 26-017.

The Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) will be meeting next week to review the Burn Ban order.

In the meantime, fire regulations and restrictions depend on your specific jurisdiction. Please check with your local Fire District, Forest District, BLM District, or ODF District using the links below:

County Burn Ban Order: https://cms5.revize.com/revize/wascocounty25/BOCC%20Archives/2026/Order%2026-017%20Banning%20Burning%20and%20Fireworks_signed.pdf?t=202605071204560

Local Fire Districts: https://www.wascocountyor.gov/departments/planning/long_range/community_wildfire_protection_plan_update/fire_district_maps.php

Forest District (Mt. Hood National Forest): https://www.fs.usda.gov/r06/mthood/fire

BLM District (Prineville District): https://www.blm.gov/programs/fire/regional-info/oregon-washington/fire-restrictions

ODF District (Central Oregon District): https://odfcentraloregon.com/

Oregon Fire Restrictions: https://www.oregon.gov/odf/fire/pages/restrictions.aspx

10/27/2026

* UPDATE 0730 * Per tripcheck, I-84 has reopened in both directions. Please exercise caution, some slowdowns my still be occurring. * *

I84 remains closed in both directions at this time while crews work. Please take alternate routes. At this time we do not have an estimate on when the freeway will reopen.
Please reference www.tripcheck.com for the latest updates.

10/08/2026

Received a phone call claiming you missed Jury duty? Scammers are calling people and claiming they are an Officer, Deputy, etc. They may say you face a fine, arrest, or other legal consequences and try to get you to pay over the phone or provide personal information. This is a SCAM. When in doubt, hang up.

10/07/2026

Wasco County Search and Rescue K9 Handler, Jim Jones and his K9 partner, Ellie May visited the Maupin Library today. He spoke to students about Search and Rescue operations, K9 abilities, and the book he authored, "Ellie May and the Midnight Search."

If anyone is interested in joining our Search and Rescue team, or would like to learn more, please visit the website below.

wascoSAR.org

10/07/2026

Above and Beyond Dispatch Award - September 2026
Cassandra Caron

The "Above and Beyond" Award is established to recognize employees who consistently demonstrate extraordinary commitment, initiative, and performance that significantly surpasses the requirements of their regular role and contributes demonstrably to the success of their team or the organization as a whole. This award celebrates those who embody the spirit of excellence, leadership, and unwavering dedication.

Reasons for recognition:

Cassandra is recognized for her exceptional performance, calm demeanor, and expert handling of dispatch duties during the vehicle pursuit on August 23, 2026. She efficiently managed all incoming radio traffic, noting all the important radio traffic and provided critical support and reassurance to her partner during the incident.

In early September, Cassie provided key assistance during a second vehicle pursuit that led to Deputies securing a victim. The lead Dispatcher for that incident shared the following feedback:

“I just wanted to nominate Cassie for the September Dispatcher of the Month. She is always a great partner and willing to help me with anything! In particular, with the pursuit she helped me feel very confident that I could handle it and she managed all incoming calls! Overall, I feel Cassie is always willing to help any dispatcher who needs assistance!” - Leiah Dschaak

We fully agree with this sentiment. In her role as a Field Training Officer (FTO), Cassie has earned outstanding feedback from a former trainee. We deeply value her commitment to mentoring new telecommunicators and her constant willingness to support her colleagues.

A truly great dispatcher is hard to find, difficult to part with and impossible to forget. Cass, we appreciate all you do.

09/30/2026

09/29/2026

Grasshopper Evacuation Update

Please see below for the latest wildfire and evacuation updates for Wasco County and surrounding areas.

Grasshopper Fire
Start Date: July 23, 2026

- Acres Burned: 93,971 acres
- Containment: 98%
- Cause: Lightning

Evacuation Zone Updates

Wasco County
All Evacuation zones in Wasco County within the Mount Hood National Forest have been lifted.

Shelters
- No shelters are open at this time

Closures
- A closure area remains in effect on the Mt. Hood National Forest. For details, please visit: https://www.fs.usda.gov/r06/mthood/alerts/closure-place-grasshopper-fire

For additional information concerning the Grasshopper Fire please see their Facebook at:
https://www.facebook.com/GrasshopperFire and on inciWeb at:
https://inciweb.wildfire.gov/incident-information/ormhf-grasshopper-fire

09/27/2026

Community Corrections: Creating An Upward Spiral.

Our philosophy is based on Wasco County's core values that Relationships Are Primary and that we Embody a Culture of 100% Love. With this at the heart of what we do, we see criminal behavior occurring downstream from compounding life dysfunction over time. While an individual’s change must ultimately be intrinsic, the skills necessary for rehabilitation are damaged or missing in some people we supervise.

Even as we may “know what needs to be done,” it’s often not What we say or do for a client, it’s how we do it – how we make them feel – that creates trust, motivates effort, and builds something permanent that they remember positively and carry forward.

Healthy rapport is the practical mechanism by which accountability becomes possible. We’ve seen mistrust create the opposite excuse.

While there are some we supervise for whom we do not have the science or resources to fully rehabilitate, for the majority of people, spending the quality time and emotional vulnerability to connect both cognition and emotion with evidence-based practices opens the door to their success.

Community Corrections is working hard to improve people's lives and keep our community safe! We are honored to serve you in this way as we continuously aim to make a difference.

09/26/2026

Specialty Courts: Individualized Support. Transparent Consequences. Permanent Change.

Community Corrections works closely with our judicial district's Specialty Courts. These consist of three customized dockets: Recovery Court, Mental Health Court, and Family Treatment Court. Each court provides a non-adversarial courtroom atmosphere and clear, consistent rules. Each participant is expected to follow those rules and take personal responsibility for their compliance. The purpose is to provide alternatives in criminal justice for improved reduction in crime and recidivism, and to promote healthy community restoration.

Interventions include early, continuous, and intensive court supervised treatment, mandatory periodic drug testing, community supervision, and use of sanctions, incentives, and rehabilitation services. Participants are screened for recidivism risk and treatment needs with validated assessment tools.

Each person receives a treatment plan that may include individual and group counseling, family therapy, addiction treatment, mental and physical health care, and regular recovery support or self-help meetings. Referrals are made for vocational training, education or job placement, housing, transportation, and other needed services. The program lasts at least 12 months, and ongoing aftercare is available to those who successfully graduate.

By working collaboratively as a team, participants return to a productive and purposeful life back at home.

09/25/2026