Summer is a great time to explore the outdoors in Oregon. It’s also wildfire season, and this year, most of the state is experiencing drought conditions. We caught up with Kristin Babbs, the President & CEO of Keep Oregon Green, to discuss the top tips and resources to share with visitors and residents to keep us all safe this summer.
Can you tell me about the history and mission of Keep Oregon Green?
The mission of the Keep Oregon Green Association (KOG) is to promote healthy landscapes and safe communities by educating the public of our shared responsibility to prevent human-caused wildfires. KOG is an established and well-known 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation that conducts a broad wildfire prevention program designed to educate the public in the prevention of human-caused wildfires and protect Oregon’s forest, rangeland and agricultural assets. Under contract with the Oregon Department of Forestry (ODF), KOG conducts its fire prevention activities through cooperative ventures and partnerships with the private sector and other public fire prevention agencies.
How did Keep Oregon Green get its start?
The need for a wildfire prevention campaign came on the heels of public outcry after the Tillamook Burn fires of 1933 and 1939. Governor Charles A. Sprague, and roughly 250 civic and industry leaders, met in Portland to lay the groundwork for a permanent program designed to fight fires with publicity. Every governor since then has served as Honorary Chair of the Keep Oregon Green Association. Most people don’t realize that Keep Oregon Green is even older than the Smokey the Bear campaign.
KOG was designed to be an intensive, statewide effort to “reduce the number of man-caused fires, which could be accomplished by reminding all citizens frequently and in an arresting manner to be careful in the woods.”
How does KOG implement the state’s wildfire prevention campaign?
Keep Oregon Green has extensive experience in media development. Each year, KOG develops and markets wildfire awareness spring and summer media campaigns that incorporate a mix of outreach tools/methods and leverage the skills of professional companies to produce a variety of wildfire prevention media.
KOG’s two-pronged approach as a local partner and a statewide public relations and communications agent has given the Association high visibility within Oregon’s fire agencies and has helped make Keep Oregon Green a household slogan.
How are drought conditions impacting the severity of wildfire season?
Nearly every county in Oregon is in some form of drought. We have already seen the impacts. Several Oregon Department of Forestry (ODF) districts declared fire season as early as May 8 and May 15, which is very unusual. Fire season will likely extend later into the fall too, given the super El Nino transition already in effect.
Unfortunately, we have all of the prime ingredients for a bad fire season: a warm and dry winter, a lack of snowpack and low reservoir levels that will continue to drop unless we get shots of rain throughout the summer. This sets up the curing of fine and heavy fuels that dry out faster than what we’re used to seeing in late spring and early summer. Not only are lower elevations at risk, but higher elevations are now, too, due to lack of snowpack.
How do most wildfires start?
Wildfire is a constant and growing threat to lives, property and natural resources across Oregon. Over two-thirds of all wildland fires are caused by people. Roughly 55% of the human-caused fires resulted from the activities of the general public, while the other 45% are the result of actions of landowners and homeowners. The data shows that the leading causes of fire include improper debris burning, equipment use (vehicles and gas-powered equipment) and escaped campfires.
When lightning fires stretch state, local and federal firefighting agencies thin, human-caused fires further deplete scarce resources. 2024 was another large wildfire year for Oregon in terms of acres lost, property destroyed, lives lost or endangered and cost to suppress. If we can keep human-caused fires to a minimum, fire staff can focus resources on lightning fires and reduce this loss.
What resources does Keep Oregon Green create, make available or recommend for staying informed during wildfire season?
Keep Oregon Green’s media campaigns target landowners living in the wildland-urban interface as well as tourists and recreation enthusiasts across the state. While it’s not possible to reach every Oregon resident or tourist, KOG campaigns invest in reaching large segments of the state’s population at various levels.
KOG analyzes Oregon’s state fire statistics and targets specific audiences with cause-based media messages. Marketing efforts include TV and radio spots, billboards, digital campaigns, newscasts/interviews, editorials, print advertisements and social media as well as interstate, state and county road signs.
In concert with local district staff and volunteers, KOG also conducts direct delivery of fire prevention education programs for youth and the general public through large outreach events, including state and county fairs, parades and sports events with Smokey, and community workshops and trainings. KOG also offers in-class programming for primary and secondary students, and hosts an interactive, web-based curriculum for kids across the state.
What should every Oregonian and visitor know this summer to stay safe?
If there’s a possibility that a risky activity could spark a fire, postpone it. Predictable is preventable.
Campfire bans will be widespread this summer. Be prepared. You can still have fun camping. Portable camp stoves and fire pits that use liquified or bottled fuels are allowed at all levels of fire danger in areas clear of vegetation.
Never park a hot vehicle on tall, dry grass. Use improved surfaces such as dirt, gravel or pavement instead. Secure tow chains or other metal car parts to avoid dragging them on the pavement and casting sparks.
A gallon of water or a 2.5-pound fire extinguisher and a shovel are required in all vehicles traveling on gravel forest roads. Ensure your fire extinguisher is up-to-date and that you know how to use it.
Outdoor pile burning is now prohibited everywhere in Oregon. Know before you go. Check local fire restrictions for your area when conducting outdoor activities that could spark a fire. Fire danger levels and restrictions may vary depending on where you live or where you are visiting.
Keep your roof and gutters clean and keep the five-foot space around your home’s foundation free of any combustible or flammable fuel.
Is there anything else you’d like people to know?
We encourage homeowners to create a 30-foot buffer of defensible space around their homes. The first five feet around the foundation should be fuel-free. The Oregon Department of Forestry estimates that some 750,000 homes exist in areas that could be affected by wildfire. Protecting these homes when a fire starts nearby can add tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars in suppression costs per home and put firefighters at extreme risk. Living in or near the forest also increases the risk of human-caused wildfire spreading from a residence to the wildlands.
Key Resources As You Plan Your Oregon Adventure
- Check road conditions at com or by calling 511.
- Follow all local fire restrictions and closures.
- Be aware of smoke conditions that could impact health and visibility.
- View real-time hazard updates, maps, and fire information through OEM’s Wildfire Dashboard.
- Sign up for emergency alerts at gov and ensure Wireless Emergency Alerts are enabled on your mobile device.
- If you aren’t traveling, still get prepared. Have go-bags ready for everyone in your family, and create defensible space.
- The best preparation is to not start a fire in the first place. Visit Keep Oregon Green’s website to learn more about how you can prevent wildfires.
- Read more about wildfire preparation here.