Highs hit 111 in Duncan Tuesday. Meanwhile, fires broke out in Empire as a garbage truck went up in flames. Shortly after, another burned bright near Clear Creek Lake , which resulted in home evacuations.
Two massive wildfires have torn through here over the last 15 years, burning with such intensity through so large an area that the conifer forest will likely be unable to regenerate on its own, experts say.
While much of the spending is expected to be matched or ultimately refunded by the federal government, an increase in emergency spending by executive order has caught lawmakers’ attention and reignited discussion.
“We are working on setting up an emergency shelter for those who may need it. More details to come on that. Keep your fingers crossed this wind dies down when the sun goes down!” the emergency management agency said on Facebook.
As wildfires become more frequent and intense, this project — along with other recent efforts — shows how the gov tech industry is helping to limit damage. Nighttime detection also is becoming a higher priority.
The U.S. Interior and Agriculture department secretaries and the Federal Emergency Management Agency administrator chair the group, which includes tribal leaders, state foresters and fire scientists.
The real threat to fire management is death by a thousand cuts, each breakdown leading to shutdowns, each partisan group extracting a concession, that together so encumber the practice that it can’t be implemented.
Utilities in the state are looking to new technology to fight an old problem: wildfires. Officials hope that by better predicting weather and risk patterns they can prevent and respond to the looming threat.
Since the devastation Oregon experienced in 2020, wildfire season summons a sense of urgency. Local fire marshals and forest experts say the area's particularly wet spring doesn't mean wildfire season isn't a concern.
Freier's presentation is part of Forensic Fire Investigation 101, a department program nationally recognized for its unique and innovative approach to solving the problem of youth-set fires.
