Fire officials urge increased caution as weather warms up
PORTLAND, Ore. — After weeks of rain and unseasonably cold weather many Oregonians are likely enjoying feeling the sun on their faces and wearing something other than a raincoat.
The weather change, that’s come just in time for the official start of summer, has also delayed this year’s fire season but officials with the Oregon Department of Forestry say they are not expecting that to last much longer.
“With that wet spell and all of those fuels growing nice and big and large, when they get dry and once it starts to get warmer, those lower-to-the-ground fuels are going to be the ones that spark a lot quicker, and they burn faster and spread faster,” said Jessica Prakke, a statewide spokeswoman for ODF.
She noted that the agency is mainly concerned about areas of Oregon where there is still a persistent drought and the risk of those fuels drying out is high.
“Geographically, the areas that we are looking the most into are Central and East Oregon along with Southwest Oregon,” she said.
Though Oregon has sent some resources to other states battling wildfires, Prakke said the agency is fully staffed and ready for the forecasted dry spell.
“We want to make sure before sending anybody away that we are prepared for our initial attack and can still protect Oregon state lands and private lands effectively,” she said.
Natalie Weber, spokesperson for the Southwest Region, says though the rain brought a welcome delay to this year’s season, the agency knows it can’t last forever.
“We are staffed up and ready to go,” she said. “We are putting our firefighters through our fire school, but they are always ready to respond seven days a week at this point, and so now we are just waiting for those fires to start.”
Though the Northwest region will likely continue to retain moisture over the next week or so, some Portland residents in areas with a wildland-urban interface say they are doing what they can to prepare for the season.
“It's important to us that there be good fire mitigation," said David Lippoff who’s lived in the Pittock neighborhood in Portland’s West Hills area for 20 years. He said after last year’s heat dome, he has become extra fire aware.
“I think we all know that things are only going to continue to be warm, and it's a wooded area,” he said, noting that he hopes visitors checking out Pittock Mansion or hiking the nearby trail will also pay increased attention to wildfire risks.
Prakke agrees that it’s a responsibility that belongs to everyone, regardless what ZIP code they fall under.
“All Oregonians should be aware and should be doing their part in preventing wildfire,” she said.
If you want to look into increasing your defensible space, Weber recommends reaching out to your local ODF office.
“We typically will have grants in the fall for people to have some of that work done,” she said.