La Pine sixth-graders to help prep for wildfires

Wildfire season has arrived and so has National Wildfire Preparedness Day. La Pine Middle School won a grant from State Farm and the National Fire Protection Agency to assist with preparing the community for wildfire season.

Approximately 90 sixth graders will be thinning lodgepole pines along the NatureHood trail. This hands-on experience is designed to support the community and is a part of their Fire Ecology curriculum.

“Nearly 2,600 wildfires burned over 685,000 acres across Oregon in 2015,” said Brad Hilliard, State Farm spokesman. “This is a great opportunity for local residents to protect their property and get to know their neighbors.”

This Saturday marks the fourth annual Wildfire Community Preparedness Day. State Farm and the National Fire Protection Agency are happy to support this Central Oregon community in their effort to engage families, friends and neighbors in wildfire prevention.