The Oregon Department of Forestry recently presented Jim Basting with a plaque commemorating 40 years of service with the agency.
Basting, 61, is a Forest Protection Supervisor with the Sweet Home Unit.
A Grants Pass High School graduate, he worked at a gas station for a couple of years before becoming a firefighter.
Basting got into the fire service while attending Oregon State University in forestry, he said. He needed to work anywhere in forestry…