On January 30, 2019, Governor Brown signed an executive order creating the Governor's Council on Wildfire Response.
The Council is tasked to review Oregon's current model for wildfire prevention, preparedness and response, analyzing whether or not the current model is sustainable given our increasing wildfire risks.
Topic to be considered include, but are not limited to:
- Funding for wildfire response
- Response to fires on protected, under-protected, and unprotected lands
- Wildfire smoke
- Assisting communities affected by wildfires
- Prevention, treatment and cost containment of wildfires
Additionally, Council Members, along with stakeholders, will have the opportunity to participate in one of the three subcommittees created by the Council that focus on:
- Mitigation
- Suppression
- Recovery
If the Council finds, after a review, that some or all of the current models are not sufficient to ensure Oregon is prepared for increasingly severe wildfire seasons, the Council has been asked to develop recommendations to strengthen, improve, or replace existing systems, and to implement its findings. The recommendations shall be presented to the Governor no later than September 30, 2019.