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Fire Adapted Oregon

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About the Initiative

As a result of the priorities in Senate Bill 762, and to better meet the needs of Oregonians, the Office of State Fire Marshal created Fire Adapted Oregon. This initiative uses integrated and strategic resource investment to reduce fires and their impact on the public. Fire Adapted Oregon is grounded in statewide data and science, defensible space best practices, and industry trends. 

The initiative is grounded in the community risk reduction framework with five Es to consider when planning local projects or work:

  • Emergency Response: Could adding or enhancing emergency services improve community safety?
  • Economic Incentives: Could economic incentives or penalties encourage safer behavior?
  • Education: Would altering Oregonian's knowledge, attitudes, and awareness related to their risks impacts their behaviors?
  • Enforcement: Could passing, strengthening, or enforcing laws and rules impact risks?
  • Engineering: Are there technology solutions such as products or materials that could help reduce risk?

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Community risk reduction provides training, planning and technical assistance, and access to data and strategic investment funding resources to reduce wildfire risks at the local level. 

The OSFM has seven regional fire risk reduction specialists (FRRSs) who work with local partners to create and promote fire-adapted communities in Oregon. These FRRSs are the regional contact for fire chiefs and local partners for community risk reduction needs. For an interactive map with contact information, visit the field staffing map

Here are some examples of what your regional FRRS can assist with:

Training
  • Home ignition zone best practices training, in partnership with the National Fire Protection Association, provides a shared knowledge base for the fire service and other industry professionals on how wildfire ignites homes and how to mitigate that potential. The OSFM hosted 13 2-day courses throughout Oregon in 2022.

Education

  • Assist with community meetings, educational events, and efforts to increase knowledge of wildfire risk and preparedness best practices.
  • Collaboratively create plans for risk reduction projects around critical infrastructure such as schools and hospitals. 

Action

  • Demographic, geographic, and fire incident data to drive actions to identify and mitigate risks at various levels in local communities.
  • Data analysis to identify vulnerable populations, critical infrastructure, and wildfire risks to schools, hospitals, and eldercare facilities.