Fire season discussions in Jackson County as summer nears

Jackson Co., Ore — Fire season is steadily approaching and discussions are underway about what local, state and national agencies can do to prepare.

Merv George Jr., the forest supervisor for the Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest visited with Jackson County Commissioners to set a groundwork for better cross-agency cooperation.

The meeting covered what was learned from fire fighting efforts last year and how to prevent future mega-fires like the Klondike & Chetco Bar fires.

“It’s really a matter of all of us working together regardless of our agencies and our jurisdictions to try and do our best to keep communities safe,” said Merv George Jr.

George says the wet weather has allowed for more prescribed burning on National Forest land but resources are needed to be fully prepared for the dry summer months.

The discussion also covered the County’s opposition to closing certain access roads on National Forest land and more helicopters during the summer to help with immediate fire suppression.

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Matt Jordan is the Chief Meteorologist for KOBI-TV NBC5. Matt joined the NBC5 weather team in 2014 after a year as a reporter and anchor in Alexandria, Louisiana. His experience with the severe weather of the Deep South and a love of the Pacific Northwest led him to pursue a certification with Mississippi State University as a Broadcast Meteorologist. You can find Matt working in the evenings of NBC5 News at 5, 6 and 11 as well as online. Matt also has a degree in Journalism from the University of Oregon. In addition to being passionate about news and weather, Matt is a BIG Oregon Ducks fan. When not rooting for the Ducks or tracking down the next storm over the Pacific, Matt can be found outdoors in the Oregon wilderness with his wife, his daughter and their dogs Stanley and Gordi.
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