Oregon’s forests are without comparison.
Oregon’s statewide Land Use Planning Goal 4 is all about forest lands. 1000 Friends of Oregon is at the forefront of "conserving Oregon’s forest land for forest uses" and protecting Oregon and Oregonians from the ever-increasing risks of wildfires that threaten our state’s livability. Fire seasons have grown in length more than 21 percent on average since 1970, and 71 percent of Oregonians now rank wildfire as a top concern, surpassing healthcare and the economy for the first time ever.
Since Oregon’s passage of Senate Bill 762 in 2021, state agencies and groups like 1000 Friends of Oregon have been on a renewed path to meaningfully address how our communities coexist with wildfire. That bill established the Wildfire Programs Advisory Council, on which 1000 Friends of Oregon’s Mary Kyle McCurdy sits. It created wildfire-mitigating code standards for new buildings, an emergency-shelter program, the hazard map, and plenty of other tools and standards.
Part of our work to combat wildfires is advocating for legislation designed to protect our forest and farm lands from development and increased wildfire risk. As the threat of wildfires continues to multiply, 1000 Friends will persistently advocate for sound land use policies that reduce wildfire risk to protect our forests, cities, and farm lands.
Join us in building Oregon’s forest protections and wildfire resiliency.
A New Vision for Wildfire Planning
In recent years, Oregonians have experienced increased risks to health and livelihood, damage to natural resources, and destruction of homes and treasured parts of Oregon from longer and more severe wildfire seasons.
But it doesn’t have to be this way!
Wildfire-Ready Oregon is a new tool to help all Oregonians prepare their homes, families, and communities for wildfire – useful whether you’re new to wildfire season or you’ve lived in wildfire country for decades.
A six-stop open house tour, from The Dalles to Medford, gave Oregonians the chance to learn about a robust new tool for preparing homes and communities for wildfire.
Our working lands program director was appointed to the Oregon Global Warming Commission’s (OGWC) Natural and Working Lands Advisory Committee to help determine the role Oregon’s farm, ranch, and forest lands will play in the state’s response to climate change.