Wednesday, September 20, 2017 The Nugget Newspaper, Sisters, Oregon
MOHRS: Couple learned
lessons from close
proximity to fire
Continued from page 3
have two horse trailers, and
always keep one hooked up
for such situations.
“Our horse trailer has liv-
ing quarters that we keep
well-stocked,” said Jessica.
With their lodgings and ani-
mals secure at a ranch out-
side of Sisters, the Mohrs
turned their attention to their
property.
“We asked friends and
family to help pack some
valuables,” said Doug.
“While Jessica oversaw that,
I was doing defensible space
techniques, testing our gen-
erators, preparing our water
truck, setting up fire hoses
around the house and turning
on our sprinklers. We have
an active management plan
for our 340 acres, but it’s not
fully automatic. We have to
engage it.”
By August 17 the Mohrs
were officially out, remain-
ing evacuated for the next
11 days. The fire crept ever
closer, eventually drawing
within less than a mile of
their structure. During those
uncertain times, the Mohrs
attended the community
meetings, and remarked on
the professionalism of the
management teams, often
under the pressure of under-
standably upset residents.
“The leadership team was
impressive, and we got to
meet face-to-face with a lot of
frontline people and manage-
ment,” said Doug.
Although their structure
was one of the closest to
Milli’s path, the Mohrs felt
assured of its safety, both
because of their own due-
diligence management, and
the reassurances of people
like the Oregon State Fire
Marshal.
“The green team was
extremely helpful, kind, and
kept us well-informed,” said
Jessica.
The Mohrs did have
a rough evacuation plan
in place before Milli, but
would make a few practical
adjustments based on this
experience.
“Have a checklist,” said
Doug. “As more people got
involved helping us, there
were more opinions about
what to take.”
He recommends think-
ing through two scenarios:
one similar to Milli, where
distance and time are in the
fire personnel’s favor, and
one quick-strike scenario in
which structure survival is
not as assured.
Jessica recommends
remembering everyday prac-
tical items.
“I realized after we were
out that I had only taken one
pair of pants, and left food
in the freezer!” she said,
laughing.
A Forest Service employee
escorted her in to get some
necessities that were over-
looked in the hustle and
bustle.
“I learned how unattached
we are to our stuff. We did
take videos for insurance
purposes, just in case,” said
Jessica. “You realize what’s
important.”
With the community
support, even if our
house did burn and
everything in it, we have
what is important.
— Jessica Mohr
On returning to their
house, before even unpack-
ing, they first went through
and evaluated their belong-
ings, donating many things
that had seemed so “neces-
sary” before to the Habitat for
Humanity ReStore.
The couple also plans to
adjust their own forest man-
agement strategy for their
property.
“I was following the code-
book and law, which says
every 10 years you manage
so many acres, but you really
need defensible space man-
agement on a more regular
basis,” said Doug, who now
plans to engage in manage-
ment annually. “I think this
is a good opportunity for
the Forest Service and ODF
to revisit their readiness and
management plans for wilder-
ness fires, especially for times
when resources are scarce.”
“My dad was a big advo-
cate of forest management
and worked in the Forest
Service,” said Jessica. “He
always taught us it was
important to take care of our
forests. Forest management
for our property is based on
that. It does include con-
trolled burning to remove
fuels. We thin trees out. A
lot of the people in the for-
est service are advocates of
the same principles. They are
working to improve the sys-
tem, not succumbing to it.”
The biggest lesson that the
Mohrs learned, though, was
just how much they can rely
on their community of friends
and family during perilous
times.
“With the community sup-
port, even if our house did
burn and everything in it, we
have what is important,” said
Jessica.
“Friends, family, and
community involvement
29
PHOTO BY EMILY WOODWORTH
Doug and Jessica Mohr’s home was very close to the path of the Milli Fire.
are essential,” Doug added.
“We felt secure with the
information that was
provided and the support we
received from those closest
to us.”
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