Deschutes County is proud to recognize its 50th Firewise community, a milestone that reiterates local commitment to wildfire prevention. More than 13,000 homes in the County participate in the program.
The national Firewise USA program and local Project Wildfire staff, fire districts and the Oregon Department of Forestry provide communities that participate in the program with organizational assistance, resources and support to organize and learn about preparedness, evacuation plans and strategies to make their community more fire-resistant. “Living in Central Oregon, we are all aware of the dangers of wildfire,” said Ed Keith, Deschutes County forester. “Across Deschutes County, neighbors are working together to reduce our risk and to implement best practices. Our local communities continue to be leaders in wildfire preparedness.”