DFPA celebrates milestone

DOUGLAS COUNTY, Ore. -- The organization that saves wildlife and fights fires in Douglas County is turning 100.

The Douglas Forest Protective Association has officially been up and running for a century.

The DFPA first started May 6, 1912, when a group of concerned citizens banded together to help save the area's most precious commodity: timber.

Today, firefighters with the organization protect 1.6 million acres of land in Douglas County, and officials say they're proud to see how far the organization has come.

Melvin Thornton, the DFPA District Manager, says the DFPA is a key group in the area. "100 years is a long time," he said. "Obviously, it started years ago for a very good need, and that reason that started then really hasn't changed much over the years."

Melvin says he's excited to see what the future will bring for the organization.