ODF Wildfire Risk Reduction Open House in Central Point

CENTRAL POINT, Ore. – The Oregon Department of Forestry (ODF) is continuing its series of open houses about community Wildfire Risk Reduction Programs with its third stop in Central Point. These open houses are being held in communities that have some of the greatest levels of wildfire hazard.

Representatives from multiple agencies are present to have one-on-one conversations to help people understand Oregon’s statewide wildfire programs. According to ODF, these open houses offer opportunities to learn about new defensible space and home hardening standards along with checking out the draft wildfire hazard map.

Andy McEvoy, a wildfire research scientist at Oregon State University’s College of Forestry says only areas on the map that have been identified as high hazard and are part of the wildland-urban interface will be affected by the new codes.

The whole idea is to help those state agencies rather than blanketly apply these regulations to all properties in Oregon, to help those agencies identify the properties in Oregon that are exposed to the highest wildfire hazard and to prioritize those for risk mitigation efforts.

ODF says the draft map won’t be finalized until October.

The next open house will be held Thursday night from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. at Grants Pass High School.