Oregon Department of Transportation is a hazard to Oregon’s wildfire recovery
The forests of our region have co-evolved with fire for millennia, and as the climate crisis progresses, we will see longer fire seasons and more extreme weather events. Even now, we are facing what is shaping up to be another historic wildfire season with Oregon already experiencing the second driest spring since 1895. If we continue to respond to these wildfires by bowing to the demands of disaster capitalists and allowing for the indiscriminate removal of large trees, alive and dead, we are creating a precedent for unending ecological destruction and setting ourselves up for worse disasters in the future.
The forests of our region have co-evolved with fire for millennia, and as the climate crisis progresses, we will see longer fire seasons and more extreme weather events. Even now, we are facing what is shaping up to be another historic wildfire season with Oregon already experiencing the second driest spring since 1895. If we continue to respond to these wildfires by bowing to the demands of disaster capitalists and allowing for the indiscriminate removal of large trees, alive and dead, we are creating a precedent for unending ecological destruction and setting ourselves up for worse disasters in the future.
Fire officials aim to squelch wildfires while small, avoiding megafires
BILLINGS, Mont. — U.S. officials said Thursday that they will try to stamp out wildfires as quickly as possible this year as severe drought tightens its grip across the West and sets the stage for another destructive summer of blazes.
BILLINGS, Mont. — U.S. officials said Thursday that they will try to stamp out wildfires as quickly as possible this year as severe drought tightens its grip across the West and sets the stage for another destructive summer of blazes.
Protestors decry post-fire roadside logging
Protestors gathered in a park near the Oregon Capitol Thursday to denounce what they called overzealous logging practices in areas burned in last year’s wildfires. Specifically, the group wants the state to stop cutting trees along the sides of state highways.
Protestors gathered in a park near the Oregon Capitol Thursday to denounce what they called overzealous logging practices in areas burned in last year’s wildfires. Specifically, the group wants the state to stop cutting trees along the sides of state highways.
Opinion: Willamette National Forest’s hazard tree hysteria
The Oregon Department of Transportation has been busy hiring contractors to cut down fire-killed trees along heavily-traveled highways. These trees could pose danger to motorists or disrupt traffic if they fall. Now the U.S. Forest Service wants to conduct its own “hazard tree removal” in the Willamette National Forest – only in this case, the logging would occur along hundreds of miles of remote, rarely-traveled logging roads.
The Oregon Department of Transportation has been busy hiring contractors to cut down fire-killed trees along heavily-traveled highways. These trees could pose danger to motorists or disrupt traffic if they fall. Now the U.S. Forest Service wants to conduct its own “hazard tree removal” in the Willamette National Forest – only in this case, the logging would occur along hundreds of miles of remote, rarely-traveled logging roads.
Other utilities cut power to reduce Labor Day fire risks. Pacific Power did not. Now it may face the consequences
In June 2019, Pacific Power representatives attended a community fair in Happy Camp, California, 20 miles south of the Oregon border, to share highlights of the wildfire prevention plan the company had been required to file months earlier with California regulators.
In June 2019, Pacific Power representatives attended a community fair in Happy Camp, California, 20 miles south of the Oregon border, to share highlights of the wildfire prevention plan the company had been required to file months earlier with California regulators.
Op-Ed: The slippery slope of hazard-tree logging
Pacific Northwest forests are crisscrossed with roads — enough logging roads alone to circle the planet 13 times. Some asphalt, some gravel, some renowned for their scenic vistas and traveled by visitors from around the world, others rarely used, converted to trails or permanently decommissioned. These roads are among the most harmful human impacts to our forests: increasing wildfire risk, releasing sediment into our waterways and chopping up intact habitat into small, degraded remnants.
Pacific Northwest forests are crisscrossed with roads — enough logging roads alone to circle the planet 13 times. Some asphalt, some gravel, some renowned for their scenic vistas and traveled by visitors from around the world, others rarely used, converted to trails or permanently decommissioned. These roads are among the most harmful human impacts to our forests: increasing wildfire risk, releasing sediment into our waterways and chopping up intact habitat into small, degraded remnants.
Has Eugene, Oregon, found a ‘superpower’ for climate action?
Tyee Williams has been on the frontlines of climate change as a wildland firefighter. He helped battle the Pine Gulch Fire, one of three record-setting fires in Colorado last summer and fall — all scorching examples of how the climate crisis is intensifying wildfires in the Western U.S.
Tyee Williams has been on the frontlines of climate change as a wildland firefighter. He helped battle the Pine Gulch Fire, one of three record-setting fires in Colorado last summer and fall — all scorching examples of how the climate crisis is intensifying wildfires in the Western U.S.
Oregon lawmakers consider new rules for wildfire prevention. Bills would boost spending on wildfire response and reducing risk for communities
Oregon lawmakers are considering two bills that aim to prevent the kind of catastrophic wildfires that tore through the state last year.
Senate Bill 287 and Senate Bill 248 would require mapping wildfire risk across the state and working to reduce it with more funding for wildfire response and a variety of policy changes.
Oregon lawmakers are considering two bills that aim to prevent the kind of catastrophic wildfires that tore through the state last year.
Senate Bill 287 and Senate Bill 248 would require mapping wildfire risk across the state and working to reduce it with more funding for wildfire response and a variety of policy changes.
Burning Idaho to save it: Why one solution to our raging wildfires can’t gain traction
When fire scientists talk about prescribed burns, the discussion often turns to the Forest Service. Critics say the agency clings to a century-old “suppression culture” that resists deliberately starting fires. “For the Forest Service, the only good fire is a dead-out fire,” said Ingalsbee, a former firefighter with the agency in Oregon.
When fire scientists talk about prescribed burns, the discussion often turns to the Forest Service. Critics say the agency clings to a century-old “suppression culture” that resists deliberately starting fires. “For the Forest Service, the only good fire is a dead-out fire,” said Ingalsbee, a former firefighter with the agency in Oregon.
Burning California to save it: Why one solution to raging wildfires can’t gain traction
On a crisp, breezy February morning near Lake Tahoe, a crew of five firefighters descended on a snow-covered, heavily-forested park straddling the California-Nevada border. They came to start fires, not put them out.
On a crisp, breezy February morning near Lake Tahoe, a crew of five firefighters descended on a snow-covered, heavily-forested park straddling the California-Nevada border. They came to start fires, not put them out.
Environmental groups call on Oregon’s congressional delegates to stop post-fire logging
Federal land managers are working to auction 10,000 acres of fire-affected public forest for timber sale in Oregon, but environmentalists are pushing back.
Federal land managers are working to auction 10,000 acres of fire-affected public forest for timber sale in Oregon, but environmentalists are pushing back.
Report: Los Alamos National Laboratory not managing forests to prevent wildfires
Los Alamos National Laboratory has failed to properly manage its forested lands, increasing the threat of wildfires at lab sites and surrounding areas, according to a federal watchdog.
Los Alamos National Laboratory has failed to properly manage its forested lands, increasing the threat of wildfires at lab sites and surrounding areas, according to a federal watchdog.
The age of the “megafire.” Wildfires shattered records across a number of U.S. states in 2020, with scientists and state officials placing much of the blame on climate change.
Wildfires shattered records across a number of U.S. states in 2020, with scientists and state officials placing much of the blame on climate change.
Wildfires shattered records across a number of U.S. states in 2020, with scientists and state officials placing much of the blame on climate change.
Biden climate plan to address worsening western wildfires, but it will take years
If every person in the United States started driving electric cars powered by wind turbines tomorrow, and each country on earth agreed to dramatically reduce greenhouse emissions, the West Coast would still see catastrophic wildfires in the coming years and decades.
If every person in the United States started driving electric cars powered by wind turbines tomorrow, and each country on earth agreed to dramatically reduce greenhouse emissions, the West Coast would still see catastrophic wildfires in the coming years and decades.
Biden climate plan to address worsening Western wildfires, but it will take years
If every person in the United States started driving electric cars powered by wind turbines tomorrow, and each country on earth agreed to dramatically reduce greenhouse emissions, the West Coast would still see catastrophic wildfires in the coming years and decades.
If every person in the United States started driving electric cars powered by wind turbines tomorrow, and each country on earth agreed to dramatically reduce greenhouse emissions, the West Coast would still see catastrophic wildfires in the coming years and decades.
Oregon lawmakers reluctantly make $17 million downpayment on wildfire preparedness
If anything illustrated the need for Oregon to invest more in wildfire preparedness, it was last year’s cluster of Labor Day infernos that chewed through a million acres of forestland, destroyed thousands of homes and structures and killed nine people.
If anything illustrated the need for Oregon to invest more in wildfire preparedness, it was last year’s cluster of Labor Day infernos that chewed through a million acres of forestland, destroyed thousands of homes and structures and killed nine people.
California must burn more of its forests to save them. Is the public ready?
Bill Tripp was 4 years old when he began studying the benefits of fire, an education steeped in ancestral traditions many generations older than modern-day California.
Bill Tripp was 4 years old when he began studying the benefits of fire, an education steeped in ancestral traditions many generations older than modern-day California.
Whack and stack: PG&E’s toppling of trees creates new hazards
In an attempt to clear vegetation from around power lines, the workers cut down old-growth redwoods, and in some cases simply sawed off the tops of the beloved giants, creating a “horrid Dr. Seuss kind of tree,” Kristi Anderson said. “It makes us sick to our stomachs.”
“Some of these guys on the powerlines are going for overkill, with minimum supervision and no ecology,” former firefighter Ingalsbee said. “They are little fire bombs waiting to ignite. They can burn for hours.”
In an attempt to clear vegetation from around power lines, the workers cut down old-growth redwoods, and in some cases simply sawed off the tops of the beloved giants, creating a “horrid Dr. Seuss kind of tree,” Kristi Anderson said. “It makes us sick to our stomachs.”
“Some of these guys on the powerlines are going for overkill, with minimum supervision and no ecology,” former firefighter Ingalsbee said. “They are little fire bombs waiting to ignite. They can burn for hours.”
Can 'fuel treatments' like thinning and controlled burns slow Oregon wildfires?
In addition, opening the tree canopy can dry out ground fuels and increase wind, fueling wildfire behavior rather than slowing it, said former firefighter Tim Ingalsbee, director of Firefighters United for Safety, Ethics, and Ecology. “Particularly in a world where climate change is drying out soils and vegetation faster than ever, we need to hold on to as much canopy cover as we can to retain that moisture,” he said.
In addition, opening the tree canopy can dry out ground fuels and increase wind, fueling wildfire behavior rather than slowing it, said former firefighter Tim Ingalsbee, director of Firefighters United for Safety, Ethics, and Ecology. “Particularly in a world where climate change is drying out soils and vegetation faster than ever, we need to hold on to as much canopy cover as we can to retain that moisture,” he said.