State DFR Agency Encourages Oregonians to Prepare for Active 2025 Wildfire Season

With hotter and drier conditions arriving early this year, the Oregon Division of Financial Regulation (DFR) is urging residents to prepare for an active 2025 fire season. According to the National Interagency Fire Center, fire activity has increased gradually since May, droughts have intensified in the Pacific Northwest and several significant fires have broken out recently. In the 2020s alone, Oregon wildfires have caused nearly $3 billion in estimated losses, which is more than the previous four decades combined. The National Interagency Fire Center anticipates that in July, August and September, most of Oregon will be above normal in its fire activity. DFR has created a disaster toolkit on its website, which includes how to financially prepare for wildfire season, wildfire preparedness for your home and evacuation tips. To save time, money and stress, visit "dfr.oregon.gov/preparenow." DFR also has a webpage dedicated to wildfire insurance resources. One area that often gets overlooked is how to make your home as fireproof as possible by creating defensible space by removing dry leaves, dead brush, debris and pine needles from yards and gutters. Trim trees away from your home, barns and sheds, and place screens over open vents on homes. These tasks reduce the fuels that enable wildfires to spread and give firefighters more time to slow the blaze. ...Read more

BLM Oregon Timber Sales Bring In Over $5.7 Million in Medford and NW Districts

The Bureau of Land Management sold 19.2 million board feet of timber across 772 public acres for more than $5.7 million between three sales in western Oregon. These sales will produce enough timber to build roughly 1,200 homes, feed local mills and support jobs in Oregon communities. The Medford BLM District sold 2.2 million board feet of timber across 110 acres in the Salt Creek Salvage Sale to Swanson Group of Glendale for $101,504. The project will remove fire-damaged trees along publicly accessible BLM roads. The NW Oregon BLM District sold 2.2 million board feet of timber across 345 acres in the Farm Team Timber Sale to Feres Lumber Company of Lyons for about $2.1 million. The district also sold 8.4 million board feet of timber across 317 acres in the Brushback Timber Sale to Sierra Pacific Industries of Eugene for about $3.5 million. In western Oregon, the BLM manages 2.4 million acres of some of the most productive forests in the world and is committed to supplying a reliable, secure and resilient domestic supply of timber. Each year, the BLM Oregon-Washington Forestry Program sales support approximately 2,000 local jobs and generate more than $1 billion for local economies. ...Read more

Rural Metro Officials Thank Residents for Responsible Use of Fireworks on July 4th

Rural Metro Fire Department is thanking Josephine County residents who were mostly responsible with fireworks during their Independence Day celebrations. Rural Metro officials said only a few fires were reported in and around the greater Grants Pass area on Friday night, all of which remained small and were quickly put out by firefighters or good Samaritans. Two visually spectacular fires were reported due to their proximity to large crowds gathered at the Allen Creek Shopping Center and Williams Highway Plaza, but no injuries were reported and no structures were damaged when sparks lit blackberries and brush. Fire officials extend their appreciation to everyone who remained responsible with their fireworks usage this year and to those who were properly prepared with the means to extinguish small ignitions. Firefighters from local agencies asked that leftover fireworks be stowed away and saved for New Year's Eve celebrations. The summer wildfire season is just starting with conditions only getting hotter and drier. ...Read more