PRINEVILLE, Ore. — Oregon
Department of Forestry’s Central Oregon District is accepting applications from
landowners interested in completing fuel reduction projects around their
homes. The intent of the projects is to
reduce the potential of wildfire spreading to structures and to improve
ingress/egress routes in the wildland-urban interface, specifically Juniper
Canyon residents in Crook County, DRRH 1-5 & 9 in the La Pine area of
Deschutes County, and Crooked River Ranch in Jefferson and Deschutes counties. Funding for these projects comes from the $5 million
grant program established by Senate Bill 762 legislation which focuses on
creating fire-adapted communities through fuels reduction of hazardous fuels on
small forestlands.
Specific treatments within these project areas which are eligible for cost-share
incentives include thinning of overstocked and diseased juniper and pine
stands, pruning limbs on residual trees, mastication of brush and small
trees, and chipping materials or burning piles onsite to remove the excess
woody debris. Landowners must provide a 25% match for work completed.
This match can come through in-kind labor (work performed by the
landowner). Historically underserved populations, including elderly and lower income applicants, will receive priority
consideration for their applications. Additionally,
Oregon Department of Forestry will be providing chipping opportunities for all
landowners in these communities.
These communities were identified as a high priority for fuel reduction based on fuel
loading, fire frequency and the ability to create contiguous treatment areas
with adjacent stand management work on larger private ownership and federally
managed lands. Reducing fire hazards across ownership at a landscape level increases the ability to slow wildfire
spread, allowing firefighters to suppress fires quickly with less damage within
communities and to natural resources.
Landowners who are interested in applying for cost-share for fuel reduction on their
property or who would like to having chipping work completed to dispose of
vegetative materials can visit https://odfcentraloregongrantinformation.blogspot.com/ for more
information or contact Ross Huffman (541-549-2731) for work in Crooked River
Ranch or DRRH 1-5 & 9 or Kody Johannsen for work in Juniper Canyon.