JACKSON COUNTY, Ore. —Local agencies and political leaders are coming together to create a more fire-resilient community in Jackson County.
Local nonprofits who have all played a role in recovery following the Almeda Fire attended Friday’s event. They all have the same goal of building a more sustainable and resilient future.
It’s been over two years since the Almeda wildfire tore through southern Oregon destroying many communities. Now non-profits, volunteers, and community partners are meeting to create a roadmap for a more fire-resilient environment.
“Help facilitate a conversation amongst the organizations that are doing the work to help with fire recovery in jackson county to get together to talk about what they share in common and talk about how their work is moving toward a resilient Jackson County, ” said Leah Hampton with the University of Idaho Confluence Lab.
The Mapping Fire Recovery event was hosted by the University of Idaho Confluence Lab. The environmental organization documents the untold stories of climate change and wildfire.
“We’re all touched by fire, we all are touched by smoke, and this is not gonna stop it’s a part of life in the Pacific Northwest so we have to be prepared for that,” said Hampton.
The group started by sharing personal stories about how wildfires have impacted them. Then it worked together to map out what a fire-resilient Jackson County looks like.
Ashland State Representative, Pam Marsh was in attendance. She says it was a chance to assess where we are in the recovery process and pave the road forward.
“A more resilient individuals and community so we are in a better potion to take on whatever comes to our direction,” said Representative Marsh.
You can learn about the Confluence Lab and its research here.
© 2024 KOBI-TV NBC5. All rights reserved unless otherwise stated.