The flags will fly at half-staff for the fallen farmer.

John Ruby, 64, died battling July's Substation fire. A memorial service is set for Saturday in Dufur.

On that day, Wasco County commissioners have called for lowering the flags at all county buildings.

"It's to honor Mr. Ruby, his sacrifice and his family," Commissioner Scott Hege said.

It's a difficult time, Hege said, for people around the north-central Oregon county along the Columbia River.

Since the nearly 80,000-acre Substation fire, at least two more wildfires have raged near Dufur, the Long Hollow fire and the South Valley fire.

"This area is really just struggling with tremendous loss of everything," Hege said.

Yet many in The Dalles and surrounding areas have rallied around the Ruby family. A fund created for them through Columbia Bank has raised more than $10,000 so far. People have continued to mail cards for the family to the bank.

"It definitely warms your heart to see that everyone is helping out the way they have," said Carmen Myers, the bank's branch manager in The Dalles.

Ruby, a retired welder, lived in Mosier but died while working on a farm near Dufur, 15 miles south of the Dalles off U.S. 197. He was cutting a fire line for a neighbor's property when the fire overtook him.

"It speaks volumes to him as a person and his character," Myers said.

Whenever fires break out, farmers work selflessly to protect everyone's land, not just their own property, Hege said.

That's just the type of man Ruby was, said Jason Olson, a friend and former coworker.

"This world needs a lot more people like John Ruby who are not afraid to lend a hand to a neighbor," Olson said.

He and Ruby worked together on and off for around 15 years. Olson is a welder and first met Ruby in 2000 while the two were helping put in the Alaska Airlines concourse at Portland International Airport.

The last time Olson saw Ruby was nearly five years ago, but his lasting recollection is Ruby's easy smile and how he was always in a good mood, even at work.

He was a friendly, jolly guy, Olson said.

"He's just one of those people," Olson said, "that you look back, and you're glad you got to know."

The memorial for Ruby will be 11:30 a.m. Saturday at Dufur School.

Correction: An earlier version of this story had the incorrect county listed for Mosier due to an editing error.

-- Sarah Verschoor

sverschoor@oregonian.com | @SarahVerschoor