Throughout the month of September, the state has been engulfed in flames. Almost 2,300 residences and over 1,500 other structures have been destroyed, with approximately one million acres having been burned since the start of 2020. The ferocity of this month’s fires displaced thousands of Oregonians in rural, suburban and urban areas alike; caused unparalleled levels of devastation; and heavily deteriorated much of the state’s air quality.
The Association of Oregon Counties (AOC) swiftly moved into action to support Oregon counties in resource and information sharing, and quickly urged state leaders to take action on comprehensive wildfire policy addressing forest management, impacts on the environment, and long term impacts to the health of Oregonians to prevent future wildfire events from being even more catastrophic.
As a vital topic of discussion among committees during the Legislature’s September Legislative Days, AOC Executive Director, Gina Firman Nikkel, Ph.D, submitted this request of action to the House Committee on Natural Resources and distributed it to legislative leaders and the governor. Click here to view the request letter.
In her letter, Nikkel asserted, “Oregon must adopt a 360-degree approach to forest management that includes landscape recovery and restoration, ongoing mitigation measures, fire suppression, and efforts to create sustainable fire adaptive communities.”
Nikkel added, “AOC is prepared to stand with residents, communities, and the State of Oregon to tackle this ongoing threat to life, health, economic stability, and the natural resources of our great state.”
Contributed by: Megan Chuinard | Public Affairs Associate