Region Archives: United States

Oregon Department of Forestry is reminding Oregonians that with weather fluctuating across the state, fire is still on the landscape and fire season is still in effect.  Oregon is still experiencing one of the worst seasons seen in the past decade, and the ODF warns the public against complacency. “East winds are very common around this time of year, making now the time to prevent the next large wildfire. There is still potential for more fire starts and the season isn’t over yet.”said Chris Cline, Fire Protection Division Chief. “The fewer human-caused fires we have, the less strained our resources will be.”

Green groups on Friday pointed to the more than 1 million public comments urging the U.S. Forest Service to protect old-growth forests from logging in urging the Biden administration to increase what critics say are inadequate protections for mature trees in a proposed federal amendment. The Forest Service (USFS)—a branch of the U.S. Department of Agriculture—received massive input during four rounds of public comment on the National Old-Growth Amendment Draft Environmental Impact Statement.  A joint statement was issued by a coalition of green groups including the Center for Biological Diversity (CBD), Earthjustice, Environment America Research and Policy Center, National Resources Defense Council, Sierra Club, and WildEarth Guardians.

PORTLAND, Oregon — The Oregon Department of Forestry needs emergency funding to pay for the most expensive wildfire season in state history, with record-high costs of $250 million and counting. As of mid-September, more than 1.9 million acres of land had burned across Oregon — nearly double the acreage burned in the notorious 2020 wildfire season, and far above any other year in ODF’s recorded history. …Kyle Williams, ODF’s deputy director for fire operations… “Just because the smoke wasn’t present in our more populated areas doesn’t mean that (wildfires) weren’t deeply impactful.” ODF has now exhausted its funds. In order to pay firefighters and contractors, the department is returning to its usual process of acquiring more money from the state — except this time, it may not be enough. …ODF is asking for $47.5 million from the E-Board this September, including a request for $40 million from the board’s general fund.

In a typical year, the agency hires more than 1,000 summer workers for temporary roles in Oregon and Washington’s federal forests The U.S. Forest Service says it won’t be hiring temporary seasonal workers next summer, citing a tight budget for the coming year. The agency will still hire seasonal staff to fight fires, but temporary summer hires for all other roles — like building trails, conducting archaeological surveys and doing engineering work – are on hold. The Forest Service has also rescinded some job offers it’s made, and is limiting decisions around other permanent staff positions, senior leaders told workers in a briefing this week. The agency hires seasonal workers to staff 11 national forests in Oregon and five in Washington. It usually hires thousands of additional summer workers in other forests across the country. Leaving those roles unfilled is a move the public could notice when warm weather returns.

American Forests is working around the clock to rebuild forests ravaged by fires. On Sept. 5, American Forests, in collaboration with the U.S. Forest Service, launched a significant reforestation initiative in Eldorado National Forest, located in Peavine Ridge, California. This effort is part of a broader strategy to address the critical reforestation needs in the Northern Sierras, where American Forests has been intensifying its cone collection activities. The urgency of these efforts cannot be overstated. The 2024 wildfire season in California has already surpassed the five-year average in terms of burned area. According to the U.S. Forest Service, national forests alone require restoration across at least 3.6 million acres. To address the 1.5 million acres in need of reforestation statewide, the U.S. must significantly ramp up its seed collection efforts. Without an adequate seed supply, wildfires will continue to outstrip our replanting capabilities. Fortunately, 2024 has brought a promising increase in cone production. 

OREGON – As the weather gets cooler and wetter, the Oregon Department of Forestry is reminding people that this year’s historic fire season is not over just yet. Jessica Neujahr, public affairs officer with ODF, said recent rains have helped moderate fire behavior, allowing crews to make progress on containing numerous blazes across the state. Though the precipitation has not been enough to saturate fuels dried by this summer’s heat and eliminate any potential for fire. “We’re in a stage of season where we’re really trying to just remind people to check the conditions and not the calendar,” she said. “It might seem like we’re in a good space, but when you actually look at the conditions, we’re stilling having really dry fuels. We’re not getting those wetting rains yet.”

TRUCKEE, Calif. – Last week, the Tahoe Truckee Community Foundation (TTCF) awarded a $1 million grant to the Sierra Institute for Community and Environment—the biggest grant that TTCF has directed in its history. The money will go towards the Sierra Institute’s Mosaic Timber operation to help thin the area’s overcrowded forests, create a forest economy, and offer a new building material called Cross-Laminated Timber. Stacy Caldwell, CEO of TTCF was excited about the scale and impact of the grant that they awarded to the Sierra Institute. “We’ve been building trust with them over the years, seeing what they’re doing, supporting them with different, smaller grants along the way,” said Caldwell. “We’re just really confident about the solutions they have been offering.” …However, this biomass that is removed needs to go somewhere. Without nearby milling factories, money needs to be spent to ship the lumber to processing facilities. 

With the state facing an estimated $45.8 million in wildfire expenses so far this season, Idaho Gov. Brad Little and other state officials are discussing the need to replenish the fund before next year. During the last legislative session, the state pre-funded its emergency fire suppression fund at about $68 million, Idaho Department of Lands Director Dustin Miller said Tuesday. Miller briefed Little and other state officials Tuesday during a meeting of the State Board of Land Examiners at the Idaho State Capitol in Boise. So far this year, the state has spent an estimated $51.1 million, about $5.2 million of which is reimbursable costs, Miller said. That leaves the state on the hook for about $45.8 million so far. …The Idaho Legislature will decide whether to approve additional pre-funding for the emergency fire suppression fund once the 2025 legislative session convenes in January.

HELENA, Mont. – Joining Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation (DNRC) Director Amanda Kaster, Governor Greg Gianforte highlighted the impact of the state’s investments in fuel reduction and fire suppression efforts this fire season. Through $60 million in funding secured when Gov. Gianforte signed House Bill 883 into law, the state is prepared now more than ever before to increase the pace and scale of forest and wildfire management. “…many fires have been prevented or suppressed through our investments in an aggressive initial attack and through new technology,” Gov. Gianforte said. “Our increased resources have made a noticeable difference this season, allowing us to catch fires before they become visible.” With the additional funding, DNRC has expanded its wildfire prevention and suppression efforts by using cutting-edge technology to find fires before they show visible smoke, securing additional equipment to fight fires faster, and addressing forest health through fuel reduction work.