In Oregon and the West, there are concerns over, misconceptions, and limited knowledge about prescribed fire. However, other regions in the U.S. like the South have been utilizing prescribed fire as a forest and fuels management tool for decades. Prescribed fire is an age-old tool first used by indigenous peoples, particularly in the West, for a variety of reasons from fuels management to favoring desired plant species. In this webinar, you will learn about prescribed fire: it’s many uses; the benefits and challenges of its use; and hear stories about its application in parts of Oregon.
Originally aired on: December 8, 2021
Presenters: Amanda Rau, Willamette Valley & North Cascades Regional Fire Specialist (OSU, Forestry & Natural Resources Extension); Catherine Dunn (TNC); David G. Lewis (OSU); and Dana Skelly (USFS).
Resources
- NW Fire Science Consortium Fire Facts: Prescribed Burn
- Oregon Prescribed Fire Council
- Prescribed Fire Training Exchanges (TREX)
- Prescribed Burn Associations – Southeast Prescribed Fire Update (NCSU)
- The Nature Conservancy - Why We Work With Fire
- In Need of Fire
- FIRE FAQs: Air quality impacts from prescribed fire and wildfire: How do they compare?
- Fire Effects Information System (FEIS)
Next steps
- Just starting out? Sign up for county and regional alerts to stay abreast of natural disasters and prescribed fire.
- If you are further along and have already taken some action in your community to be Fire Prepared - Explore your property, neighborhood, and community and try to identify the types of plants and trees that surround you. With this information, try to find out about the historic fire return interval in your area using the PNW fire regime tables provided by USDA Fire Effects Information System (FEIS).
