Tag Archives: fire

Coordinating Seedling Production for areas affected by the 2020 Wildfires

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Brad Withrow-Robinson, Forestry & Natural Resources Extension agent for Benton, Linn & Polk Counties

Among the many challenges facing landowners affected by the 2020 wildfires will be reforestation.  One of the top issues will be tree seedling availability: Seedlings are in very short supply now, and it is likely to remain that way for several years. 

The shortage is partly a demand issue.  The wildfires affected about 350,000 acres of private forestland to varying degrees.  That includes 70,000 acres owned by about 1,000 family forest landowners.  This means about four million additional seedlings are now needed above the expected demand created by regularly planned harvest and reforestation.  Everything that is already in the production pipeline has already been absorbed.

The shortage will also be a production issue.  There are limits how quickly seedlings can be grown (typically 1-3 years) and most importantly, there are limits on capacity at every step in the production & planting process such as greenhouse space, nursery workers and cold storage.  Clearly, a coordinated approach is needed to address this.

Nursery production is an intensive operation

OSU Extension is working with the Oregon Department of Forestry, Oregon Small Woodlands Association, nursery producers and other partners to develop extra capacity needed to produce, deliver and plant seedlings in response to this problem.

Issues to be addressed include:

  • Determining the need for seedlings (by area, elevation, species).
  • Nursery production capacity which may be limited by both infrastructure and labor.
  • Storage and distribution logistics. 
  • Planting labor force capacity

At this time, we are still trying to measure and map the need for seedlings.  If you are a landowner affected by the 2020 wildfires needing to plant trees in the future(or know someone who is), we want to hear from you. Please follow this link https://beav.es/seedlings and fill in our seedling needs survey. This will put on you a mailing list and we will get back in touch with you with details as they develop. 

If you need help with this, please contact the Linn County Extension office 541-967-3871 or email Laurie.Gibson@oregonstate.edu

Fires in western Oregon

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Brad Withrow-Robinson, OSU Forestry & Natural Resources Extension, Benton, Linn and Polk Counties.

This season’s wildfires have been devastating to western Oregon. 

I recognize the suffering this has brought to so many individuals and communities.  The fires affected many individuals and communities in our reading area and adjacent counties. 

Many groups and agencies continue to muster information and resources to help people rebound from the fires. Each group or agency is focusing on its area of responsibility and strength, while coordinating with others for the most effective response possible.  The effort stretches from the needs of individual landowners to landscape issues that will affect water quality, infrastructure, public safety and forest recovery.

Extension’s Post Fire Response

Among the organizations responding is OSU Forestry & Natural Resources Extension, through its new statewide Fire Program.

Our immediate emphasis has been helping people with forestlands and related natural resources impacted by the fires. If that includes you or people you know, please visit the Fire Program website where you will find a series of webinars addressing key post-fire issues: 

  • After the Fire – Now what?
  • Hazard tree awareness and erosion in post-fire landscapes
  • Assessing tree mortality and salvage logging
  • Reforestation and restoration
  • Tax issues relating to fire

The series has concluded, but all webinars were recorded. You can find them, as well as companion resources on the topic at the Fire Program Online Webinar Guide .

Other resources including an interactive website to help landowners navigate issues, programs and agencies relating to the fire issues are in the works.    Stay tuned.

2020 a year of opportunity for fire preparedness

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Brad Withrow-Robinson, OSU Forestry & Natural Resources Extension for Benton, Linn and Polk Counties.

I talked to my friend Philipp in Portland the other night. We were checking in on family, comparing notes on how each are doing under the Stay Home order.  The big beneficiary at their house is the dog, Coffee, who has his four people at home and who seem unusually willing to take him for a walk.  Phil was also laughing that his yard had never been so free of weeds. 

Weeds had never been one of Philipp’s priorities.  Until now.

I have noticed that many rural landowners look at Fire Preparedness much like Phil looks at weeds.  In fact, many rural landowners are much more aggressive about clearing their home place of weeds, than they are about clearing their home place of fire hazards. 

Left: Three Zones of Defensible Space.  Image from: https://bewildfireready.org/fuels-reduction-cost-share-program/

Continue reading →

Keep up with weeds this spring

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Brad Withrow-Robinson, Extension & Natural Resources Extension agent for Benton, Linn and Polk Counties.

Spring is the key time to tackle many non-woody weeds.  These non-woody (also called “herbaceous”) plants  include grasses and many common flowering plants including clovers, thistles, oxeye daisy, tansy ragwort and groundsel.  There are many native and also non-native herbaceous plants in the fields and forests of Oregon.

Taking care of unwanted plants/weeds in often an important part of taking care of your land.  Herbaceous weed control if often part of these common objectives:

  • Successfully planting tree and shrub seedlings
  • Reducing fine fuels defending against wildfire
  • Enhancing forest diversity/improving wildlife habitat
  • Easy access and enjoyment of your property
Continue reading →

Fire is a fact of life here in the West

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Wildfire has plagued the western US this year. Photo by Dave Powell, USDA Forest Service (retired) Bugwood.com

Brad Withrow-Robinson, OSU Forestry and Natural Resources Extension agent for Benton, Linn and Polk Counties.

This year’s fires in eastern and southern Oregon, and especially California remind us that fire does not occur only in remote forest areas.  It is common in rural areas, can affect farm lands, communities along the wildland-urban fringe, and can even cross the boundary into densely developed communities.

The scale and intensity of fires across the west are increasing for many reasons including historic land management and fire exclusion policies, development patterns and recent climate patterns resulting in many consecutive years of intense droughts.  It is important for people in western Oregon to realize that we too live in a fire landscape, even though it is not as common as elsewhere in the state. Continue reading →

Fire Season is approaching

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Brad Withrow-Robinson, Forestry & Natural Resources Extension agent for Benton, Linn and Polk Counties.

Fire Season will soon be in effect in much of the Tree Topics reading area, as declared by the State Forester according to regional fire conditions (usually by early July). Here are some fire season basics to keep in mind:

To find out when an area is declared, you can visit the ODF Wildfire website and click on Forest Restrictions and Closures  section. There you can find links to an overview of the Industrial Fire Precaution Level (IFPL), closures and other information about fire regulations and restrictions.

If you choose the Current IFPL/Public Use (Regulated Closure) Chart you can find the fire level precaution for each of the ODF Forest Protection Districts by clicking on that district. Changes in precaution level and closures will be posted there over the summer, so it is a good idea to monitor this information throughout the season.

Please remember that even a Level 1 precaution requires you to carry fire equipment when in the woods. The motor vehicle or light truck (<=26,000 pounds GVW) requirements are:

  1. A) 1 shovel with a minimum 8-inch wide face and a minimum 26-inch length handle, ready for immediate use.
    B) 1 axe or Pulaski with a minimum 26-inch length handle, ready for immediate use.
    C) 1 approved A,B,C extinguisher, 2.5 pounds or larger (preferably 5 pound minimum), ready for immediate use.
    D) Exhaust system with muffler in good operating condition.

photo: ODF

Be sure you, your family or others using vehicles on your property are aware of this.  I generally make it a habit to carry these tools in my vehicle all summer.

Additionally, if you are using a chainsaw, each saw must have a shovel (meeting above standards), ready for immediate use; an 8-ounce (larger preferred) fire extinguisher, ready for immediate use; the standard exhaust system (spark arrester screen) must be in good operating condition; and the operator must stop the saw before fueling and move the saw at least 20 feet from fueling location prior to starting.

Please be FireWise, alert, aware, and pro-active in fire prevention. Be aware of how and where you park your vehicle, since exhaust system components have been known to ignite dry grass.  We’ve had a number of reminders recently that western Oregon is primed for wildfire each summer.  You don’t want to be part of the next one.

 

Preparing for the worst

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Brad Withrow-Robinson, OSU Forestry & Natural Resources Extension agent, Benton, Linn and Polk Counties

pod_38
Image from http://www.readyforwildfire.org/

At our home, my wife has resolved to work on emergency preparedness this year. Sure, we have a pantry full of food, jugs of water, flashlights and batteries. Heck, anyone living in a rural area keeps those things on hand for comfort in semi-regular storm events.

But how about the really big events or when something very different, like a wildland fire happens? Are you and your family ready? Continue reading →

Operations on family forest lands not making the grade for fire preparedness

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ODF photo
ODF photo

By Brad Withrow-Robinson, OSU Forestry & Natural Resources Extension – Benton, Linn & Polk Counties

It is never really too early to think about fire season.  With fire season comes rules and regulations that affect both the general public and forest landowners.  Nearly everyone is affected by some, such as rules for basic fire tools to be carried when driving on forest roads during regulated use  as reported last summer.

If you operate during fire season, then there are other specific rules regarding fire prevention and preparedness that will apply to you.  These roles address water supply and fire equipment, fire watch and preventative actions and steps that are meant to prevent wildfire and protect landowners from fire damage, injury and fire cost liability. Continue reading →