Not every part of our region is as flammable as the next. There is some variation, meaning wildfire risk is just higher in some places than in others. And when the state of Oregon said so with the release of a wildfire risk map in 2022, landowners in high risk areas complained, loudly.
The state withdrew the map until just recently, offering in its place the Wildfire Hazard Map. It does not differ greatly from the previous map, but the state has put more work into contacting landowners and holding public meetings. And input will be taken until August 18th, input that could lead to changes in the map.
Tim Holschbach from the Oregon Department of Forestry joins us for an overview, with input from Blair Moody at the Chamber of Medford & Jackson County, which has some concerns about the process and outcomes.