Lawmakers broaden membership of rangeland protection associations
By Terry Murry on Tuesday, July 13th, 2021 in Columbia Basin News More Top Stories
PENDLETON – Oregon’s wildfire protection efforts have concentrated on forests, woodlands, and rangelands. Rangeland protection associations have formed and train members to hold fires to a minimum. Farmers who cultivate the land were not included in that effort. That’s changing.
“Senate Bill 590 would allow cultivated crops to be included in rangeland protection associations,” Sen. Bill Hansell (R-Athena) said.
Hansell recalled the Substation Fire several years ago that was held in check by those very farmers, and considers them a valuable asset to containing wildfires.
“It was the number-one priority of the wheat growers,” Hansell said. “We allocated a couple of million dollars to that.”
