Wildfire forum works with local tribes to find solutions to mega-wildfire seasons

MEDFORD, Ore.–  Leaders from across the state gathered in Medford Tuesday to discuss the devastating wildfire seasons to come. Representatives from the federal and state levels all the way to tribal leaders and the timber industry were in attendance.

The discussion was about bringing voices together to find a way forward through wildfire season for southern Oregonians. The forum revolved around finding best practices to get ahead of fire season to co-aligning forest management strategies from different organizations.

However, it wasn’t about getting rid of fire completely. For the first time ever in southern Oregon, 11 different tribes were invited to be a part of the discussion, showing their practices like cold and in an essence, controlled brush burning, which has been used on these lands for centuries.

“Tribal is another government entity and we need to treat them that way and we need to talk to them and we want to learn,” said Terry Fairbanks, board president for Southern Oregon Forest Restoration Collaboration. “We also want to be involved and we want to have their wisdom and we want to work with them.”

The forum and discussion on Tuesday was also the start of the Rogue Forest Restoration Initiative. That’s a $6 million investment by the state over the next six years to treat areas around the Rogue Basin.

Ultimately, everyone agrees this situation can’t be solved within a few years but the forum hopes this can be a launching point to better focus on fire prevention, not wildfire suppression.

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