Three Rivers repeats Firewise recognition
The Three Rivers Recreational Area Landowners Association earned the Firewise Communities/USA recognition for the second year in a row as a result of its efforts to reduce the vulnerability of homes and property to wildfire.
An initiative of the National Fire Protection Association, the Firewise Communities/USA Recognition Program is a process that empowers neighbors to work together to reduce their wildfire risk. Using a five-step process, communities develop and implement an action plan that guides their residential wildfire risk reduction activities.
The TRLOA has budgeted funds for additional wildland fuels reduction. These funds allow the TRLOA to capture matching funds from the Jefferson County Fuels Reduction Program and the Oregon Department of Forestry for the fuels mitigation work.
“I wanted our community to be recognized for taking seriously the need to be fire safe in Central Oregon” said Penny Lippold, chairperson of the Three Rivers Firewise Program and TRLOA Board Member. She continues, “Lake Chinook Fire & Rescue Fire Chief Don Colfels and our Oregon Department of Forestry representative, Stu Otto, have worked hard this year to make our landowners at Three Rivers aware of how to be “firewise” and I appreciate all the hard work and effort it has taken for us to be able to update our Community’s status for this year.”
This Firewise recognition is due to the commitment of the TRLOA and the homeowners to prevent the spread of wildfire in their community. These efforts are undertaken in cooperation with Lake Chinook Fire & Rescue, the fire department serving the greater Three Rivers area.
“Achieving Firewise recognition is not a quick or easy process. The Three Rivers Recreational Area has done an outstanding job of continuing the implementation of the Firewise principles,” said Don Colfels, Fire Chief of Lake Chinook Fire and Rescue. “By preparing homes, structures, and egress before a wildfire occurs, Three Rivers continues to dramatically increase the chance that homes and structures will survive when the next wildfire occurs.”
