Forest and Timber

Wildfires have forced evacuations across Oregon this summer.  And now, the state is making new software available that alerts residents to changes in evacuation levels.  Ed Flick, director of the Oregon Office of Resilience and Emergency Management, says the software makes it easy to develop an evacuation map.   "The Genas...

Improve the health of America’s forests while reducing the risks of wildfire to communities.  That has been the effort and focus on the U.S. Forest Service’s Collaborative Wildfire Risk Reduction Program, which has focused on 21 specially selected fire sheds.  But Agriculture Sec...

Last week, Oregon’s Board of Forestry voted on rules regarding the new Wildfire Hazard Map.  The group spent time discussing the implications of the map and what it means for property owners, especially in areas designated as high hazard.   “The o...

The Washington State Department of Agriculture is considering establishing a quarantine of untreated out-of-state firewood.  The Department is looking to prevent the introduction of plant pests and bee pests.  The movement of firewood containing plant pests and bee pests poses a threat to Washington’s forests, agricultural, and environmental interests.  Eggs, larvae, and ...

The wildfire season in Oregon is one for the history books in a variety of ways, including for the price tag.   "All of our fires this season have cost about $214 million to fight; that’s on the Forestry side. It’s about $27 million on the State Fire Marshal side," noted Oregon Governor Tina Kotek.  She said she’s work...

The Oregon Department of Agriculture is inviting producers impacted by wildfire in Umatilla and Morrow counties to an informational meeting where agencies will answer questions.  Participants will learn about resources available for residents, landowners, livestock and agricultural producers.   ...

This weekend, for many is considered the unofficial end of summer, and it looks like Mother Nature will try to cooperate.  Temperatures are expected to climb back into the 90s with some locations forecasting triple digits this weekend.  USDA me...

Oregon Department of Forestry officials have lowered the fire danger in the northeast corner of the state from Extreme to High.  While weather conditions have moderated, fire managers say forest fuels remain critically dry and public use restrictions are still in place.  In Cent...

So far, more than one million acres have burned across Oregon, and it’s not even September.  U.S. Senator Ron Wyden said he gets regular updates from fire managers.   “They use terms like ‘this is a war.’," the Oregon democrat said.  "...

The U.S. Forest Service is looking to shore up its wildland firefighting force in the Pacific Northwest.  Recruitment events will take place across Oregon next month, with stops in Bend, Sandy and La Grande on September 12th, in an effort to hire a couple hundred permanent seasonal positions.   “...