Despite what many Southern Oregonians believe, the end of summer is not the end of fire-season. Threat of wild fire always looms nearby. A state program, which has been at work taking preventative measures in the line of wild fires, the Oregon Forestland-Urban Interface Fire Protection Act has convened again to classify potential fire-vulnerable urban and suburban properties.

The Oregon Forestland-Urban Interface Fire Protection Act was established in 1997 and was created to enlist landowners in urban and suburban areas to rid their lands of vegetation that may fuel a fire around buildings and along driveways, and also make fuel-breaks when necessary for the prevention of wild fires to provide safety of citizens and firefighters alike.

Areas affected by the Act in Josephine County are currently under discussion by a five-member committee, and they have identified more that 19,000 lots that will be affected. There will be six public meetings for invited landowners, and maps of areas affected by the Act will be available. At these meetings there will be a presentation which will cover information such as the lands that will be affected by the Act and fuel-reduction actions that must be taken by landowners.

ODF has received $1 million in federal grants to assist landowners in reaching the fuel-reduction requirements of the Act. These grants are available in most parts of Josephine County and a table will be set up to provide information of the assistance program. In most cases, landowners will be reimbursed $400 for completing a fuel-break around a home or along a driveway.

Information will also be given on how to make a fuel break around a home, how to certify the work on a fuel break has been completed, and how to get on-site advice on fuel-reduction.

After these meetings take place and the committee members have answered all questions, a meeting will be held to demonstrate the committee’s conclusion and gather an official statement on the identification and classification of lands affected.

For a complete schedule of meetings, see the press release.

For more information on the Oregon Forestland-Urban Interface Fire Protection Act, please visit http://oregon.gov/ODF/FIRE/SB360/sb360.shtml.