wildfire

It may have taken a little while to get here, but wildfire season has descended upon the Pacific Northwest.  A hand full of fires are burning across the region, with the largest taking place in the mountains of central Idaho.  USDA meteorologist Brad Rippey said thanks to several dry years, the next two months could be very active. "It is a b...

Weather forecasts expect temperatures to climb into the upper 90s this week, with some locations expected to see highs well above the century mark.  And with those hot, dry conditions, the concern about wildfire risk grows. “Hopefully nothing like what we’ve experienced over the last couple of wildfire seasons, but never the less, sometimes when you have the cool wet springs, you get a lot of buil

With no major wildfires burning in the state so far this summer, Oregon’s Department of Transportation would like to keep it that way.  ODOT’s Kacey Davey says vehicles are the number one cause of summertime wildfires in Oregon. “Driving off...

A map showing the wildfire risk of every property in Oregon is now available for the public.  The Governor’s Wildfire Programs Director Doug Grafe said this effort is a transition for how the state thinks about wildfire, from reactive to proactive. “We’re...

The USDA is increasing efforts to improve forest resiliency through a variety of programs and approaches. "At the U.S. Department of Agriculture, we believe that with innovate policies and incentives, climate smart reforestation and forest management can be a meaningful tool to increasing forest health," said Ag Secretary Tom Vilsack. ...

Two Oregon utilities are working with a Texas-based robotics company to develop technology that could help stave off wildfires sparked by damaged transmission lines. Brains 4 Drones wants to create Artificial Intelligence for consumer-grade drones to fly over and inspect power lines in remote areas ...

In the 2023 fiscal year budget request, the U.S. Forest Service is asking Congress for roughly $1 billion more than this current year's budget. "This investment supports the agency's ten year strategy to confront the nation's wildfire crisis," noted Forest Service Chief Randy Moore, who said the plan to remove hazardous fuels from forests and reduce the wildfire risk as a long term strat

Colorado senator Michael Bennet wrote a letter to the USDA and the Forest Service asking the agencies to fully fund and implement fire recovery efforts before spring arrives. Snowmelt runoff and seasonal rains could cause further flooding and damage Colorado watersheds ...

Earlier this week, the Washington State Department of Natural Resources announced plans to purchase the former Dallesport Elementary School to create a new regional wildfire response center in the Columbia River Gorge. The Klickitat County school closed in 2016 due to decreasing enrollment across the Lyle School District ...

Washington State University, Oregon State University and UC Davis have received a $7.6 million grant to study the impact of smoke exposure on grapes. According to WSU, the four-year project will provide critical knowledge to grape growers and winery owners in Washington severely impacted by widespread wildfire smoke in recent years ...