Keeping safe and prepared during the upcoming wildfire season is a major concern for many people. Firefighters in Oregon stress the importance of preparing for wildfires in advance, especially in light of the changing climate and the increased likelihood of devastating blazes.
At this time of year, vegetation is at its peak, and fire departments are on high alert.
“The reality is, I mean, we did have a pretty wet spring there for a while with cool moderate temperatures, but quickly it got warm,” said Stefan Myers, with Tualatin Valley Fire & Rescue (TVF&R). “So what happens is, all those green fuels that look so beautiful then become dry and fire can find its way to move through there.”
Oregon firefighters heat up early wildfire safety measures, tweeted KGW News.
Oregon firefighters start wildfire prevention earlier than usual amid hot weather https://t.co/kxuNCEdBqV
— KGW News (@KGWNews) May 21, 2023
Departments like TVF&R are working hard to put out the region’s wildfires this season.
“We have to be ready, whether it’s fast-moving fires, and fine fuels or small fuels on the ground, or if it’s getting into a more densely forested area, we are investing in that by doing training right now,” said Myers.
Fire departments are dedicated to ensuring the safety of their communities and their residents. Public education was the focus of a special program hosted by Portland Fire and Rescue (PF&R) and the Office of the State Fire Marshal this week at the World Forestry Center Discovery Museum.
“With the drought conditions we’ve been seeing and the change in the fire behavior in the Portland area is very much, you know, at risk for a possible wildfire to start,” said Kim Kosmas, with PF&R. “And if it did — when and if it does happen — it can be very catastrophic.”
Two artists and a writer in Oregon utilize their respective mediums to talk about their brushes with death during the state’s recent wildfires: Ann Ruttan and Apricot Irving.
“I drove through the beginning of the Santiam Canyon Fire in September of 2020, and these paintings are the result of that,” Ruttan said.
“Writing about the Eagle Creek Fire was a really important part for me, of being able to feel like I could process and heal from the trauma of it,” said Irving.
The wildfires have not only influenced their work but also motivated them to promote awareness of and preparation for wildfires.
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Ruttan said that people needed to be prepared because “because our landscape is changing so dramatically, this is not a rainforest environment anymore.”
“It is possible to still live well in this landscape that we love, and there are things we can do to protect our homes and recognize that wildfire is here,” Irving said.