Planting new hope in the Umpqua River basin

A sugar pine seedling grows within the Archie Creek Fire scar. Seedlings are planted in the early spring so they are not damaged by hot and dry summer weather. Forest Service photo by Adrienne Barcas
Editor’s note: The USDA Forest Service recently announced a 10-year strategy to confront the…
#Restoration, #Fire, #Wildfire, #Forestry, #ForestHealth, #Vegetation, #Partnerships, #Contracts, umpqua, #InfrastructureInvestmentAndJobsAct, #Reforestation
Reducing Wildfires through Better Utility Pole Inspections

Electrical utility pole failure is one of the leading causes of wildfires nationwide. The sheer number of poles involved makes regular inspections challenging – but the Forest Products Lab is finding new ways to carry out pole inspections quickly and easily. (Forest Service photo)
They can pop up almost…
#Wildfire, #WildfireRiskReduction, #Infrastructure
Joint Chiefs’ Funding at Work: Improving Landscapes and Protecting Communities

Since 2014, a partnership between the USDA Forest Service and the Natural Resources Conservation Service has improved the health and resiliency of forest ecosystems and mitigated wildfire threats where public and private lands meet. So far, the United States Department of Agriculture has invested more than $247 million in the partnership, known as the Joint Chiefs’ Landscape Restoration…
#Partners, #Wildfire, #FuelReduction, treatment
Fuels treatments critical to wildfire management

Widespread thunderstorms delivered lightning without precipitation to the dry hillsides surrounding Asotin, Wash. (USDA Forest Service/Umatilla National Forest)
Editor’s note: The USDA Forest Service recently announced a 10-year strategy to confront the wildfire crisis and improve forest resilience. The…
#Wildfire, #FuelsTreatment, #ForestHealth, #Safety, #PrescribedFire, #EmergencyResponse, #FireManagement, #WildfireCrisisStrategy, #WildfireCrisis
Treating Forests Back to Health

As temperatures begin to signal winter, Forest Service districts are starting planned fire operations to clear low lying tree debris that will reduce hazardous materials. While images of firelines snaking across valleys and consuming entire communities flooded the media this summer, voices joined in a chorus that “we must do something about this”. With an emphasis on “we” states, tribes and…
#FuelReduction, #Community, #Wildfire
Research to Help You Breathe a Little Easier
By developing tools and resources that help forecast when and where smoke will travel, the AirFire Research Team allows public health agencies and communities to prepare for smoke impacts. USDA Forest Service photo.
Each year, millions of people are exposed to unhealthy air quality. As wildfire seasons grow…