Exciting news from fellow forest managers in the Deschutes National Forest; Thinning, Mowing and Prescribed Fire completed earlier in the year outside of Sisters, Oregon helped firefighters battle the Milli Fire during the summer of 2017.
Deschutes Collaborative Forest Project members Ed Keith and Nicole Strong visited an area of the Milli Fire where restoration had been implemented west and south of Sisters earlier this year and spoke with a local landowner impacted by the wildfire. Forest management work in the area helped reduce the intensity and duration of a portion of the Milli fire, making it easier to extinguish, and keeping private lands in the area protected.
Within the Ochoco National Forest, we’re working locally on the Wolf Project and Gap Project areas to improve forest health by removing heavy fuel loads and increasing resilience to fire. We have worked successfully with the Forest Service to align future Forest Service projects with community values, identifying geographic areas to prioritize for future forest restoration—making sure that we are working on the projects that matter most to people.
