Science & Environment

With Oregon’s wildfire season on the horizon, fire officials urge homeowners to create defensible space

By Chris M Lehman (KLCC)
May 2, 2022 11:25 p.m.
Remains of the devastation from the 2020 Beachie Creek Fire are still evident in the small town of Gates, Ore., Feb. 26, 2021.

Remains of the devastation from the 2020 Beachie Creek Fire are still evident in the small town of Gates, Ore., Feb. 26, 2021.

Kristyna Wentz-Graff / OPB

Now that it’s May, wildfire season is just around the corner in much of Oregon. State fire officials say it’s a good time of year to take steps to reduce the chance of fires affecting your home.

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That can include clearing roofs and gutters of dead leaves and other debris, moving flammable material away from exterior walls, and reducing vegetation from underneath trees to help keep the fire from spreading into the upper branches.

“If we can control what happens right around our home, right in our home ignition zone, it can really increase the chance of our home surviving a wildfire,” said Alison Green with the Oregon Fire Marshal’s office.

Fire officials also encourage people living in fire-prone areas to consider growing fire-resistant plants around their homes.

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