Central Oregon Wildfire Educators Group to hold series of Wildfire Preparedness Fairs
CENTRAL OREGON (KTVZ) -- The Central Oregon Wildfire Educators Group is launching a series of regional preparedness fairs starting in April 2026. These events highlight the group's ongoing efforts to provide unified education on how to live safely in fire-adapted communities.
Established in 2022 as part of the Central Oregon Fire Prevention Co-Op, the organization coordinates wildfire outreach among city, county, state and federal agencies. The partnership includes fire departments, tribal partners, public health organizations and nonprofit groups.
The group's educational programs reached thousands of residents in 2025. Outreach focuses on four critical pillars: defensible space, home hardening, evacuation preparedness and smoke readiness. These programs teach residents how to reduce flammable vegetation and strengthen structures against ember intrusion.
Leadership for the organization includes co-chairs Melissa Steele of Bend Fire & Rescue and Ariel Cowan of OUS Extension. Under their direction, the group acts as a regional amplification network to ensure a consistent message across different jurisdictions.
Beyond residential education, the group supports the use of prescribed fire tactics across Central Oregon. This practice is used as an ecological necessity to return fire to the landscape and reduce the risk of high-severity wildfires on private and public lands.
Outreach efforts also include creative media projects such as public service announcements and video content designed for all age groups. The group conducts school visits and youth events to encourage wildfire awareness among future community leaders.
The 2026 Wildfire Preparedness Fairs are free to the public and feature hands-on learning opportunities for adults and children. The first event is scheduled for Wednesday, April 8, 2026, from 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at Sisters High School.
Two events will take place on Saturday, April 11, 2026. The first will be held in Prineville at the Wilco parking lot from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m., followed by a fair at La Pine High School from 3:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Sunriver will host a fair at the SHARC facility on Thursday, April 16, 2026, from 12:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. In May, events are planned for Bend and Madras to conclude the series.
The Bend event is set for Saturday, May 9, 2026, at Central Oregon Community College from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. The final fair is scheduled for Wednesday, May 20, 2026, at the Jefferson County Fire and EMS Station in Madras from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.
The upcoming fairs will share educational resources and demonstrate wildfire readiness practices for property owners. Residents seeking more information or organizations looking to get involved can contact Steele or Cowan.
