Mowing Prevents Destructive Wildfires

Many wildfires in southwest Oregon start as grass fires. They start surprisingly easy – by a lawnmower blade striking a rock, a pickup truck’s exhaust pipe dragging across grass on a dirt road, an electric fence wire snapping against a metal post – and spread quickly. It doesn’t take very much wind or slope for a grass fire to grow from a fire a few yards in size to a wildfire spanning several acres.

To keep a grass fire from turning into a destructive wildfire, cut tall, dry grass before fire season begins. Roadsides and along driveways are common places for vehicle-caused grass fires to start. Pay special attention to places where vehicles may stop and idle, such as around mailboxes, gates and turnouts. Cutting grass around homes and outbuildings, such as workshops and barns, reduce the chance of accidental fires caused by malfunctioning equipment, smokers and children (or adults) with fireworks.

OFRI unveils new "go-to" forest website

The Oregon Forest Resources Institute (OFRI) has redesigned its website -- a hub and jumping-off point for forest information, resources, and activities. Interactive features offer visitors the chance to discover more about Oregon forest ownership, history, management, tree types, and more. Campers, hikers, and others looking for outdoor recreation and education will find it useful, as well as students wanting objective information about the state's abundant natural resources.


In addition to accessing outdoor recreation information, site visitors can download publications, watch videos, research forest management techniques and legal protections, learn about wood products, and get career and economic information.

Curious minds can use a new "Ask a Forester" feature to get answers from the experts. There's even a blog, written by OFRI staff and guest columnists.

For K-12 teachers and forestry educators, OFRI is simultaneously launching http://www.learnforests.org/.

You can visit OFRI's new website at: http://www.oregonforests.org/.

Sen. Wyden Speaks about Airtanker Fleet



Sen. Ron Wyden (third from right) visits with ODF firefighters.

 Sen. Ron Wyden visited the Medford Airtanker Base Tuesday to talk with the news media about airtanker availability. See Sen. Wyden’s press release about the airtanker fleet.  In February, the U.S. Forest Service announced its strategy for replacing large airtankers with “newer, faster, more cost-effective” airplanes.

Use the links below to see local news media stories about Sen. Wyden's visit:

Medford Mail-Tribune
KDRV Newswatch 12

SB 360 Searchable Database

The SB 360 Searchable Database allows anyone to look up properties located in forestland-urban interface areas. These properties are located in areas where wildfires are likely to occur, and landowners are required, by state law, to reduce potentially flammable vegetation around residences and other structures.

Required vegetation treatments are detailed in the Oregon Forestland-Urban Interface Fire Protection Act, commonly referred to as SB 360. In most cases, landowners in southwest Oregon are required to reduce flammable vegetation within 50 feet of a structure.

Once treatments are complete, landowners are advised to return a self-certification form, confirming compliance with the state's fuel reduction requirements. The certification form protects a landowner from being billed for certain fire suppression costs should a fire ignite on the property.