We can protect Deschutes County communities from wildfire
This year’s harrowing wildfire season left thousands of our fellow Oregonians without homes – and some without their lives. These massive losses are a wake-up call. Our Central Oregon ponderosa pine forests naturally experience wildfire every 5-20 years. With climate change causing more frequent extreme fire weather, like strong winds combined with low humidity, our communities are at frightening risk.
Now is the time for our local governments to implement proven land use planning strategies that can help prevent loss of homes and loss of life.
Canyon Creek Fire in the Malheur National Forest. Source: U.S. Department of Agriculture
For decades, LandWatch has used land use planning to protect people from wildfire. For example, we advocated for the Westside Transect on the western edge of Bend. The Transect is a set of zoning regulations both inside and outside of city limits that reduces housing density next to the Deschutes National Forest, requires fire-resistant building materials and landscaping, and facilitates firefighting and evacuation. The west side of Bend is particularly vulnerable to summer wind-driven fire events, such as the recent Two Bulls Fire, and the Westside Transect gives us a fighting chance.
Deschutes County recently initiated a project to consider changes to its land use and building codes to help reduce the risk of wildfire. This project is our chance to protect our communities against the increasing risk of extreme fire.
The first step in Deschutes County’s public outreach efforts is this online survey. The survey presents information in a series of maps and then asks a few questions about potential land use and building code changes.
Based on our decades of experience working to protect people from wildfire, LandWatch believes that any new land use and building code changes should reflect the following:
Wildfire protection for existing development, including fire-resistant retrofits and landscaping, should be prioritized. Climate change and drought have increased the risks of wildfire and existing homes without fire-resistant retrofits are most at risk.
Thinning of brush and dense stands of young trees that are within one-half mile of a proposed or existing development should be required on a routine basis.
No further urban development expansion should be allowed in forests currently bordering urban growth boundaries.
Development within urban growth boundaries that border high fire-risk brushlands and forests should use fire-resistant materials and landscaping.
All new or replacement home construction should use fire-resistant materials and landscaping.
In addition to these principles, it is also crucial for the County to enforce existing rules limiting development in fire prone areas when it would create a significant increase in fire risk, a significant increase in the cost of fighting fire, and a significant risk to firefighters.
Fire-resistant landscaping includes maintaining defensible space. Source: U.S. Bureau of Land Management
After the online survey, the Deschutes County Planning Commission will hold two virtual open houses at 6pm on both November 19th and December 3rd. Links to the open houses are posted on the project website.
Deschutes County Planning Commission Virtual Open Houses
November 19th - 6pm - Zoom - passcode 490490
December 3rd - 6pm - Zoom - passcode 216489
Wildfire risk affects all residents of Deschutes County. The public health and safety of the entire county depends on enforcing existing rules limiting development in the most high-risk areas, and fireproofing all existing and future development elsewhere.
Because all of us in Deschutes County are at risk, this is not an issue where decision makers should make compromises or concessions to those interests that want to expand development into high-risk rural areas.
Make your voice heard by taking the survey, and tell the County that it must do everything it can to protect existing development from wildfire and enforce existing rules limiting development in high-risk areas.