A century of fire suppression has left our forests wildly out of balance. And climate change is only making things worse.
Wildfires are becoming more intense, burning larger areas, threatening communities and producing more smoke. Science tells us that the best way to reduce the risk of catastrophic wildfire is to restore our forests to their natural state with controlled or prescribed burns.
Controlled Burning 101
The science is clear: controlled burning reduces the risk of severe wildfire. But what happens during a controlled burn?
HB 3160: Investing in Wildfire Preparedness, Mitigation and Response
It’s time for Oregon to invest in proven wildfire mitigation and preparedness strategies and help communities and our ecosystems recover from wildfire. This bill proposes a simple, affordable, and common-sense approach to funding solutions to Oregon’s wildfire crisis. A simple $10 annual fee on some property insurance policies will generate a stable, ongoing funding source to reduce wildfire damage and cost. Funds will provide support for firefighters to ensure public health and safety; planning and preparedness to protect homes and communities from wildfire; science-based fuels reduction and forest resilience treatments to reduce wildfire risk; and wildfire recovery, reforestation, and drinking watershed protection.
Science
What Can Trees Teach Us About Wildfire?
Dr. Seuss' The Lorax taught us to speak for the trees. But if you know how to listen, the trees speak for themselves.
HB 2571 and HB 2572: Enhancing Support for Prescribed Fire
Prescribed fire, or controlled burning, is the intentional application of fire to live or dead vegetation for land management purposes. It mimics natural fires and is very effective at reducing hazardous fuels and restoring ecological conditions. We can get more good fire back on the landscape by removing barriers to prescribed fire implementation. HB 2571 requires a study to understand legal and insurance barriers to conducting more prescribed fire in Oregon, and reviews policies and best practices from other states.
HB 2572 launches the State Certified Burn Manager program to increase the number of trained prescribed fire practitioners, and ensures that neighboring property owners can work together to plan and execute prescribed burns. With millions of acres of Oregon in need of restoration, it’s time to increase use of prescribed fire in Oregon to improve forest resilience, save money, and protect communities.
Science
New Study Shows Oregon Forests Need Fire
As we work to diminish the threat of severe fire, a new study shows an important part of the solution may actually be more fire – of the right type.
Why Are Wildfires Getting Worse?
For more than a century, people have removed fire's natural role in our forests by suppressing natural fires. This has thrown our forests out of balance and caused an abundance of overgrowth. When wildfires occur in overgrown forests, they are larger and more intense and put plants, animals, and communities at risk. Hotter, drier conditions caused by climate change are drying out overgrowth and making forests more flammable.
What Can We Do?
The science is clear. Controlled—or prescribed—burns combined with ecological thinning are a proven way to restore Oregon’s dry forests. By managing the natural process of fire on the landscape, instead of preventing it, we can improve habitats for native plants and animals and reduce the risk of out-of-control wildfires.
How Does a Controlled Burn Work?
Controlled burns mimic natural fires. They are strategically designed by a team of fire experts and only occur under the safest conditions. Ecological thinning often takes place before a burn to optimize outcomes.
Where and When Do We Burn?
Controlled burns are conducted where there is the greatest need for forest restoration and the biggest risk of out-of-control wildfire. They are directed in a way that is safe, controlled, and aligned with the values all Oregonians care about, such as clean air. Burning occurs during the spring and fall, when conditions and the many variables are just right.
We can reduce the risk.
Get updates and news from Oregon to stay informed.
Related Stories
Why We Work With Fire
The Nature Conservancy is well known for conducting controlled burns to restore health and diversity to natural lands. But that's not the whole story.
Four Ways Nature is Fighting Back Against Climate Change
Restoring, protecting and harnessing the power of our forests, grasslands and wetlands will provide at least 30% of the reduction in greenhouse gasses needed for a prosperous, low-carbon future.
