Announcements

Central Oregon Wildfire Information

ODF Small Forestland Grant Program

The Oregon Department of Forestry Small Forestland Grant Program is offering funding for projects that reduce wildfire risk through the restoration of landscape resiliency and the reduction of hazardous fuels (vegetation). The grant program is taking applications now through Nov. 3.

Projects must support “small forestland owner(s)” defined as an individual, group or federally recognized Indian tribe in Oregon, who owns up to 160 acres west of the crest of the Cascade Mountains or up to 640 acres east of the crest of the Cascade Mountains. The funding is a new allocation continuing work described in Section 24 of Senate Bill 762. For a complete application package and all requirements visit the ODF small forestland grant website.

The West is Burning Documentary Screening

Discover Your Forest presents a free public screening of the documentary The West is Burning on Thursday, October 5, 6:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. at the La Pine Activity Center. The West is Burning examines the history of forest management and social conflict that has contributed to current forest conditions, causing longer fire seasons and unprecedented destruction.

The film emphasizes the need to act now to generate positive change in our forests, watersheds, and communities. The film screening will be followed by a panel discussion with local firefighters, land managers, and fuels specialists. Click here to watch a trailer of the film.

Dinner and childcare will be provided. Please click here to register for this free event.

Fall 2023 Deschutes County Fuel Reduction Grant Program

Deschutes County has allocated $70,000 for Fall of 2023 to fund fuel reduction projects to reduce wildfire risk in Deschutes County communities. Preference will be given to communities or neighborhoods that are working to be recognized as a Firewise USA™ site or are currently recognized as a Firewise USA™ site and are proposing projects consistent with their Firewise action plan and community assessment.

The first round of applications will be accepted until September 22th, 2023, and will be reviewed shortly thereafter.  Projects and reporting needs to be completed prior to June 30th, 2024. For additional information about this program, visit Fuel Reduction Grant Program or contact: Kevin Moriarty, County Forester at 541-322-7117 or forester@deschutes.org

ODF and OSU to begin updating wildfire hazard map

Oregon Department of Forestry will soon begin work with Oregon State University to update the wildfire hazard map based on direction provided in Senate Bill 80, passed by the 2023 Oregon Legislature. This is in addition to the work ODF and OSU have been doing to incorporate feedback provided by landowners and local governments following last year’s initial map rollout. Click here for more information.

Forest Service Fuels Reduction Project Bordering OWW II Subdivision

Deschutes National Forest recently completed a wildfire fuels reduction project on a 40 acre parcel bordering the Oregon Water Wonderland II subdivision. Slash piles will be burned during the winter. Click here for a photo of the project.

Oregon State Fire Marshal launches a website to educate about defensible space

To better prepare Oregonians for wildfire and give them resources to help create defensible space, the Oregon State Fire Marshal (OSFM) has launched a new defensible space educational tool. The Oregon Defensible Space Program offers Oregon-specific wildfire preparedness best practices, resources for download, and an in-person defensible space property assessment request portal. Creating defensible space is something everyone can do to reduce the wildfire risk to their home or business from wildfire. This website provides a one-stop shop for Oregonians with information and other resources they need to protect their homes and neighborhoods.

Whether people want to connect with local programs, gain insight into maintaining defensible space, or begin a defensible space plan, Oregonians can find resources by visiting Oregon Defensible Space (https://oregondefensiblespace.org/)

Deschutes National Forest Fuels Maintenance Project Proposal

The Deschutes National Forest invites scoping comments on the Deschutes Fuels Maintenance Project. Comments will help inform project development during the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) process and would be most helpful if received by July 5, 2023.

The project will maintain previous treatments through continued prescribed burning and other activities that reduce the risk of catastrophic wildfire to the communities and infrastructure of Central Oregon. Treatments are designed to prevent and reduce the buildup of hazardous fuels on approximately 275,000 acres that have received previous vegetation management and hazardous fuels reduction treatments.

Additional information on the project is available in the scoping document on the project webpage https://www.fs.usda.gov/project/?project=63892. Comments can be submitted through the project webpage by clicking on “Comment/Object on Project”.

New Fire Chief for La Pine Rural Fire District

The La Pine Rural Fire Protection District is pleased to announce the hiring of Erick Holsey as the District’s new Fire Chief. The selection follows the June 30, 2023 retirement of Chief Mike Supkis. Click here for more information.

UDRC Defensible Space Reimbursement Program

The 2023 Fall Defensible Space Reimbursement Program is open for new applications. Property owners who have not received a reimbursement in 2022 or 2023 may apply.

The UDRC will help property owners within the La Pine Rural Fire Protection District with the cost of creating or maintaining defensible space for wildfire risk reduction. The UDRC will reimburse your expenses for licensed fuels reduction contractors or rental equipment up to $500 maximum. One application for a UDRC Defensible Space program from a sole or joint property owner will be accepted for work completed by December 15, 2023.

Applicants for the Reimbursement Program may not apply for the Low-income Senior program in the same year. The UDRC will not reimburse work completed before your application is approved. Your work plan must include examples of wildfire fuels reduction listed on the application form. To apply for the 2023 Fall Defensible Space Reimbursement Program click here for the online application form.

UDRC Low-income Senior or Disabled Defensible Space Program

The intention of this program is to offer assistance to property owners who cannot do the work themselves, or afford to hire someone else to do the work. UDRC has partnered with Council on Aging of Central Oregon to provide free wildfire fuels reduction services for low-income senior or low-income disabled homeowners in the La Pine Rural Fire Protection District. Click here for a printable flyer describing the program. To apply for this program, click here for the mail in application form with income and age or disability requirements or call UDRC at 541-556-0317 to request the application form. Applicants for the Low-income Senior or Low Income Disabled Program may not apply for the Reimbursement program in the same year.

2022 UDRC Programs Review

Defensible Space Reimbursement Program

Total Reimbursements: 90
Property Owner Expenses:  $114,467
UDRC Reimbursement Payments: $44,640
47 reimbursements to UDRC communities
43 reimbursements to La Pine Area communities

Low-income Senior Defensible Space Program

Property Assessments:  15
Projects Completed: 12
Contractor Payments: $10,236

The Low-income Senior program is funded by a grant from the Maybelle Clark Macdonald Fund. The Reimbursement program is funded by grants from the MCM Fund, BNSF Railway Foundation, and First Interstate Bank Foundation. We held 5 public meetings on Forest Service and ODF fuels reduction projects, home insurance regulations, state and county roads projects, and river flow management. If you have suggestions for future public meeting topics click on Contact UDRC.

Deschutes County hires new County Forester and Fire Adapted Communities Coordinator

Deschutes County has hired Kevin Moriarty as its new County Forester and Corinne Heiner as its new Fire Adapted Communities Coordinator. As County Forester, Kevin Moriarty will lead the day-to-day operations of the County’s Natural Resources program, which focuses on fire prevention, mitigation and preparedness. The program also provides education and support to landowners for noxious weed control. Corinne will facilitate fire adapted community strategies through the management of the Firewise Communities Program and will work closely with the community and partners to prepare, revise and implement Community Wildfire Protection Plans. She will also support educational opportunities for county residents and stakeholders.

USFS Fuels Reduction Projects Proposals

The Bend-Fort Rock Ranger District is initiating scoping for three separate hazardous fuels reduction projects. The projects include Oregon Water Wonderland Hazardous Fuel Reduction, Forest Lane Hazardous Fuels Reduction Project and Fall River Estates Hazardous Fuels Reduction Project. The projects are not related and will be analyzed separately. Click here for detailed project information and how to provide comments. Anyone wishing to obtain additional information on these projects may contact Cristina Peterson by email at cristina.peterson@usda.gov.

Reporting Graffiti or Illegal Dump Sites

The Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office inmate work crews have been actively involved in the community by removing graffiti and cleaning up large collections of litter from property throughout Deschutes County. Click here to report graffiti or illegal dump sites in Deschutes County.

USFS Klone Vegetation Management Project

The Bend-Fort Rock Ranger District released a draft environmental assessment for the nearly 35,000-acre Klone Vegetation Management Project south of Bend for a 30-day public comment period. The 34,636-acre planning area is located south of Bend and east of Sunriver. About 10,550 acres on the west side of the planning area are within the wildland urban interface designated by the Upper Deschutes River Community Wildfire Protection Plan. The east side of the planning area borders Newberry National Volcanic Monument. The purpose of the project is to improve forest resilience against uncharacteristically large disturbance events such as wildfire, insects, and disease through treatments such as thinning and fuels reduction. The project proposes to manage vegetation through silviculture techniques and prescribed fire, and to restore areas through road closures. The Forest Service’s environment assessment can be accessed on the Deschutes National Forest project website at: https://www.fs.usda.gov/project/?project=57735. Comments may be submitted electronically to comments-pacificnorthwest-deschutes-bend-ftrock@usda.gov. Please put “Klone” in the subject line of your email. Comments must be submitted as part of the actual e-mail message, or as an attachment in Microsoft Word (.doc or .docx), rich text format (.rtf), or portable document format (.pdf) only.

USFS 42 Road Wildfire Resilience Project

The Bend-Fort Rock Ranger District is initiating an environmental analysis for the 42 Road GNA Wildfire Resilience Project located on the Bend-Fort Rock Ranger District of the Deschutes National Forest. The project area is west of La Pine State Park near Fall River Hatchery and Wake Butte. Click here to view the Scoping Letter. For additional questions, please contact Alicia Underhill, Environmental Coordinator, by email at alicia.underhill@usda.gov or by phone at 541-383-4012.

UDRC Defensible Space Program Featured In Midstate Electric Ruralite Article

The organization’s goal is to lessen the impact of wildfires on people’s lives and lifestyles, on their properties and structures, and on the natural resources of the area, including water, trees and wildlife habitat. “Fires can have a serious impact on communities,” says Jerry Hubbard, former president of UDRC and board member of the La Pine Rural Fire Protection District. “There’s been a positive response to the UDRC program. It’s a good incentive to get people to clean up their property.” Click here to read the article.