Morgan Lake named first Firewise Community in Union County
By Garrett Christensen on Monday, December 9th, 2024 in More Top Stories Northeastern Oregon News
LA GRANDE – (Release from the Union Soil and Water Conservation District) After another intense wildfire season in Northeast Oregon, the Morgan Lake community is now the first recognized Firewise Community in Union County. They join a growing number of Firewise Communities in the region, including those in Baker, Grant, Umatilla, and Wallowa.
The community of about 40 households sits along a ridgeline just a few miles west of La Grande and was listed as a community at risk in the 2016 Union County Community Wildfire Protection Plan. In part because of this, they were contacted by the Oregon Department of Forestry in 2022 about grant funding available through Senate Bill 762 to develop defensible space around their homes and structures. Throughout Summer and Fall 2022, 2023, and 2024 Morgan Lake residents removed trees to increase their communal defensible space, and through the process, became interested in Firewise.
In 2023, Morgan Lake neighbors gathered with partners from La Grande Rural Fire Protection District, the Oregon Department of Forestry, Oregon State Fire Marshal, Union County Emergency Services, Wallowa Resources, and Oregon State University-Extension, to conduct a community wildfire risk assessment. The goal of the assessment was to help the community better understand their wildfire risk, inventory the community’s strengths, understand their weaknesses, and brainstorm ways to increase wildfire resilience.
A core group of residents formed the Morgan Lake Firewise Committee to review the assessment and create a three-year action plan for the neighborhood. The action plan was reviewed at their 3rd annual Firewise Community picnic this August. The summer planning session included evacuation planning, enhancing neighborhood communication, mapping water resources, planning for public safety power shut offs (PSPS), and continuing forest thinning and restoration work.
“Wildfires are an inescapable part of our landscape in Union County, so it is really wonderful to see neighbors stepping up, taking care of each other, and working with our local resources to better prepare for wildfires,” said Firewise Community Coordinator, Anna Lindquist, with the Union Soil and Water Conservation District. “The Morgan Lake Firewise Community should be very proud of all their hard work so far, and I hope they spark more Firewise Communities in the county.”
What is Firewise?
Firewise® USA is a national program of the National Fire Protection Association that focuses on providing individuals and communities with the resources they need to prepare their property and community for wildfire. Using the Firewise® framework, neighbors work with wildfire preparedness partners to first understand their wildfire risk, and then collaborate on community-wide projects like evacuation planning, forest thinning, and hosting neighborhood events. Every community creates their own priorities and action plans, and annually submits their volunteer hours and investments to Firewise® USA. You can learn more by visiting the national, regional, or county Firewise websites:
- www.firewise.org
- www.neoregonfirewise.org
- www.unionswcd.org/firewise
