Ashland looks to start thinning dead and dying Douglas firs

ASHLAND, Ore.– Ashland Fire and Rescue will begin controlled burns and thinning a number of dead trees starting next week.

Similar to the BLM’s proposed project in the Applegate, Ashland has seen a large number of Douglas firs die off in the last year.

The dead trees pose a significant fire risk and fire officials want to thin the trees as soon as possible.

Ashland Fire Forestry Chief Chris Chambers said they will be using helicopters to haul away the trees.

Chambers said, “we know that there’s more of this in the future and the science on that done by local forest service and Oregon State University researchers predicts that this is an ongoing trend.”

Chambers said they will need to close some trails during the project.

There will be an interactive map on the City of Ashland’s website for updates on closures.

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NBC5 News reporter Derek Strom is from Renton, Washington. He recently graduated from the Edward R. Murrow College of Communications at Washington State University with a degree in Broadcast News and a minor in Sports Management. He played in the drumline with the WSU marching band. These days, he plays the guitar and piano. Derek is a devoted fan of the Mariners, Seahawks, and Kraken.
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