Oregon would emphasize reducing fuels in high-risk forests near communities and key environmental resources as part of broader legislation aimed at mitigating wildfire hazards.
A crucial aspect of the proposal involves steering forest treatments toward where they’re most needed, regardless of property ownership.
“We are taking an all-lands approach here,” said Dylan Kruse, government affairs director for the Sustainable Northwest nonprofit organization. “Immediately, we’re going where there’s the most urgent need.”
Though the Oregon Department of Forestry would take charge of the planning and implementation, the agency would rely on help from Oregon State University and other entities. The targeted approach would likewise rely on state money while “leveraging” funds from the federal government.
At its core, the legislation is aimed at selecting where and how to conduct forest projects that would be most effective, Kruse said.