Fire engulfs Veneta shed

Bringing attention to a larger issue.

The need for more firefighters specifically in rural communities.

Kezi 9 news reporter emma jerome went out to veneta and spoke with officials about how*they plan on attacking the problem.

"what we need is people" a fire on the edge of veneta city limits has local authorities talking about the need for first responders in rural communites emma jerome: "behind me you see what's left of a structure in veneta after caught fire early sunday morning in veneta... and let me step out of the frame to show you the rest of what the homeowner said was a magnificent fire."

A magnificent fire that took three hours to extinguish in part due to some unexpected challenges-- according to lieutenant tressa miller with lane fire authority.

Tressa miller: "kind of a quasi-rural setting where we're dealing with an out building... it's a shop it's a barn it's got all kinds of things stacked in it."

And miller says that this is just one example of the need they have for more firefighters and the appreciation they have for their volunteer staff lane fire authority covers 282 square miles west, northwest, and southwest of eugene... this includes those rural areas sometimes miles away from the closest station and at those station sometimes they only staff one person to work full time supplementing the rest of the crew with volunteers "the more time the fire has to burn unobstructed the worse it's going to be a fire d oubles in size every thirty seconds."

Back in march a family lost their entire home in walton after a fire broke out in the living room and the homeowner says lane fire authority couldn't arrive due to location for 20 minutes "we definitely need more people we are still a majority volunteer department... without people willing to step up there's nopt much that can be done with just one person."

Miller said they have a spring training camp coming up soon and she hopes more people join their ranks... reporting in veneta emma jerome kezi 9 news police in all- bany are warning of theives stealing a pricey car part from vehicles in the area.

Officials say