Special Election Returns Show Local Fire Levies Likely To Fail

Preliminary results released after the November special election suggest voters in Lane County are poised to reject two operating levies sought by local fire agencies. Early returns as of November 4, 2025 showed measures for Lane Fire Authority and for South Lane Fire & Rescue were each trailing by a few hundred votes, leaving the prospects for additional funding uncertain until official final counts are certified.

Both measures would have increased operating levies to maintain staffing and service levels amid a rising volume of emergency calls. Local officials had said the revenue would help fund more on duty firefighters, an additional ambulance crew, and other operational needs. South Lane Fire & Rescue serves Cottage Grove, Creswell and surrounding areas, while Lane Fire Authority covers a broad swath of the county. Together, the districts provide fire suppression and emergency medical services for sizeable portions of Lane County.

The immediate significance for residents is practical and urgent. Should the levies fail when results are finalized, districts will need to consider a range of responses to close budget gaps. Those options may include reducing staffing, reassigning crews, scaling back non critical services, or pursuing different funding strategies and operational restructuring. Any of those choices could alter response times and the availability of ambulance and fire services for local communities.

Election officials cautioned that the early returns were preliminary, and that final tallies will be completed and certified in the coming days. Until those official counts are posted, district leaders and community members must weigh both the preliminary results and the potential policy choices that follow. The close margins in the returns also mean that a relatively small number of outstanding ballots could change the outcome.

The levies and the narrow vote margins reflect broader pressures facing fire and emergency medical systems across the region and the country. Many departments are contending with rising call volumes, increasing complexity in emergency responses, and the fiscal challenge of maintaining staffing levels within limited local budgets. For Lane County voters, the decision in this election will shape public safety finances and operational planning in the months ahead.

Local officials have said they will review the final certified results and then outline next steps. In the meantime, residents who depend on timely emergency response in Cottage Grove, Creswell and other parts of Lane County are watching the certification process closely, knowing that the final vote totals will determine whether their fire districts maintain planned staffing and ambulance capacity.