The wind was just blowing in the wrong direction for Talent and Phoenix in the Almeda Drive fire in 2020. The wind carried the fire into those towns, and away from Ashland. Ashland has had several close calls with big fires, and the city continues to beat the drum for people to get up to speed and up to date on fire resistant landscaping, home hardening, and other elements of living in a fire-prone area.
Brian Hendrix is the Fire Adapted Communities Coordinator for the city. He visits with details of the work and the areas of greatest need. Kelly Burns, Ashland's Emergency Management Coordinator, talks about evacuation and other subjects in his domain.
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City of Ashland and Ashland Fire & Rescue Resources for Wildfire Safety:
www.fireadaptedashland.org
www.Ashland.or.us/weedabatement
www.Ashland.or.us/prohibitedplants
Control Burn Info: www.ashlandwatershed.org
Wildfire Hotline: 541-552-2490 - Provides information on planned burns in and around Ashland outside
of fire season.
Emergency Broadcast Radio 1700 AM – Provides information on current emergencies affecting the
citizens of Ashland. This low wattage broadcast can only be heard in Ashland.
How to Make your Home and Property Safe (https://youtu.be/Ufi3rFFh1MM). Tom Fields, Fire
Prevention coordinator with Oregon Dept. of Forestry; Chris Babs, President and CEO of Keep Oregon
Green.
Firewise USA: https://www.nfpa.org/Public-Education/Fire-causes-and-risks/Wildfire/Firewise-USA
and https://www.nfpa.org/assets/gallery/riskassessment/story.html
AIR Guidebook: https://www.ashland.or.us/SIB/files/FIRE/CERT/AIR_Guidebook_with_Links.pdf
Jackson County Emergency Management: www.rvem.org
Two recommended reads for home hardening and landscaping best practices for wildfire:
Reducing the Vulnerability of Buildings to Wildfire: Vegetation and Landscaping Guidance _UC ANR publication 8695
Home Survival in Wildfire-Prone Areas: Building Materials and Design Concerns (ucanr.edu)