Public invited to C.O. wildfire agencies’ seminar
In late June, several agencies involved in different aspects of wildland fire fighting and hazardous fuels management will host a seminar for members of the public to bring more understanding of the role of fire in Central Oregon and how public agencies treat landscapes and prepare for and fight wildfires.
Beginning Tuesday, applications for the 36 spots in the seminar are being taken. Applications will not be taken after June 8.
The free two-day Spark the Discussion: Communities of Fire Seminar will be held on June 23-24. On Saturday, June 23 the program will begin at 8 a.m. and end at 5 p.m. Participants will meet at the Deschutes National Forest Office, 63095 Deschutes Market Road in Bend. On Sunday, June 24 the program will begin at noon and end at 4 p.m. On Sunday, participants will meet at the Redmond Air Center, 1740 SE Ochoco Way in Redmond.
During the seminar, people will learn about landscape treatments, fire prevention, management and decision making and tour the aviation and firefighting resources at the Forest Service’s Redmond Air Center. Through the seminar,the agencies hope to create a group of well-informed citizens who will help broaden community-led discussions around fire’s role in Central Oregon and wildland firefighting.
Interested participants can get an application and learn more about the seminar by going to https://bit.ly/2L1YgDj or by asking for an application in the subject line of an e-mail to jnelsondean@fs.fed.us (Jean Nelson-Dean). Participants will be selected using two criteria 1) having a balance of people throughout the communities of Central Oregon 2) and how a person indicates that they will broaden community discussion following the seminar.
The Forest Service (Deschutes and Ochoco National Forests and Crooked River National Grassland) is coordinating the seminar with support and participation from the Bureau of Land Management Prineville District, Oregon Department of Forestry, Deschutes County, Western Region National Cohesive Strategy, Deschutes Collaborative Forest Project, Project Wildfire and Oregon State University – Extension Service.
For more information, people can call Jean Nelson-Dean, 541–383–5561 or e-mail jnelsondean@fs.fed.us.
