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Oregon lawmakers reluctantly make $17 million downpayment on wildfire preparedness Updated Jan 09, 2021; Posted Jan 09, 2021 The Riverside fire burns in the Mount Hood National Forest, seen from La Dee Flats near the Clackamas River.Mount Hood National Forest Facebook Share If anything illustrated the need for Oregon to invest more in wildfire preparedness, it was last year’s cluster of Labor Day infernos that chewed through a million acres of forestland, destroyed thousands of homes and structures and killed nine people. Despite scores of recommendations that the governor’s Council on Wildfire Response said were urgent back in 2019, the Oregon Legislature made no headway on the issue last year after two Republican walkouts over climate change legislation. Gov. Kate Brown’s hope of addressing some of those proposals in one of the Legislature’s special sessions didn’t happen either, taking a backseat to more pressing pandemic-related funding and policing reforms.

United statesOregon department of forestryKate brownBetsy johnsonFred girodTim ingalsbeeMatt doneganElizabeth steiner haywardOffice of the state fire marshalOffice of state fire marshalDepartment of forestryCouncil on wildfire responseBiden administrationOregon legislatureFiscal officeLegislature emergency board