OSU’s Wildfire Wednesdays Offer Tips to Avoid Another 2020

In 2020, Oregon wildfires caused about 40,000 evacuations, with more than 2,800 structures destroyed, at least 11 fatalities, and smoke affecting air quality across western Oregon for two weeks. It was one of the most destructive wildfire seasons in state history, but Oregon State University’s Forestry and Natural Resources Extension Fire Program is taking steps to help Oregon communities be ready for the 2021 fire season. 

The OSU Extension’s webinar series “Wildfire Wednesdays” will consist of eight lectures providing tips and education about wildfire preparedness and response. The lectures will use different lenses to discuss wildfire risks and response, and how building community can help with fire response. 

The eight webinars in the series are “It takes a village” from 12:00 – 1:00 p.m. on March 17, “From the home to the landscape” on March 31, “Building community for better preparedness” on April 14, “Ready, Set, GO!” on April 28, “Fire preparedness in my area” (date to be announced), “A land of fire” on May 19, “When fire hits” on June 2, and “After the fire” on June 16. The webinars will also be provided in video format on the OSU Extension Service’s Forestry & Natural Resources YouTube page after the fact. 

The Fire Program has also provided a list of resources in the description portion of the webinar series on their website, including useful contact information and an educational video about fire adapted communities from the Washington State Fire Adapted Communities Learning Network. 

The 2020 wildfire season caught many Oregonians off guard, left many communities devastated, and was caused in part by people. As Oregon Department of Forestry public information officer Jim Gersbach said in an interview in an Oregon Public Broadcasting article published early last August (before the bulk of Oregon’s wildfires,) “The same kind of weather that makes it enjoyable to go hiking or recreating also makes the woods a lot more susceptible to catching fire.” In the same article, Gersbach’s department attributed 2020’s wildfires in part to increased forest recreation amidst closed businesses, schools and indoor recreation spaces during the COVID-19 pandemic. Car traffic on forest roads as well as campfires and other sources of ignition were certainly contributors to wildland fires. 

From acting early to prevent the spread of human-caused wildfires, using preventative measures like clearing dry brush to slow their spread, and having an evacuation kit ready in case of spread, there are many ways to deal with Oregon’s propensity for fire. To learn more about what you and your community can do, register for the Wildfire Wednesdays webinar series at this link.  

By Ardea C. Eichner 

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