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About Applegater. (Jacksonville, OR) 2008-current | View Entire Issue (May 1, 2025)
Applegater Spring 2025 Rogue Valley Prescribed Burn Association spring events 21 BY AARON KRIKAVA maintain healthy and fire-resilient forests and woodlands around us. This is where community effort really makes a difference. Working together with our neighbors as part of the RVPBA, we can implement safe, effective, and inexpensive controlled burns in our area. In times of greater national turmoil and uncertainty, supporting and strengthening local relationships is even more important for the safety of our community. As we move into the spring- controlled burn season, the RVPBA is offering a variety of training events for folks to learn and practice their prescribed burning skills, so we’ll be ready to go when the weather is right. If you’d like to be a part of this valuable work, join us at one of these events and sign up for our email list at roguevalleypba.com. 1. March 7—Property Evaluation Workshop and Field Tour Location: Pacifica, 14615 Water Gap Road, Williams, 10 am-2 pm Cost: Free At this free workshop and field tour at Pacifica: A Garden in the Siskiyous, we will explain the factors that go into evaluating a property for a prescribed burn and the considerations for laying out a burn unit. The tour will explore the property and see examples of areas that are ideal for burning and other areas that need more work before fire can be applied safely. These evaluations are the first step toward Applegaters preparing tools for a community-led controlled burn. i m p l e m e n t i n g a Photo: Chris Adlam. controlled burn. The Rogue Valley Prescribed Burn Association (RVPBA) is offering a variety of fun and educational training events this spring. Preparing for a landscape-scale event like a wildfire requires landscape- scale community collaboration. Rural communities like ours have always worked together for the health and well-being of the diverse environment we all enjoy and the communities we all care about. Developing a landscape that is resilient to natural events like wildfire requires maintenance and is a multistep and ongoing process. We are fortunate in our area to have many groups like the Applegate Partnership and Watershed Council (APWC), the Oregon Department of Forestry (ODF), and the Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS). They can help with grant funding to implement the initial step of mechanical fuel reduction that the majority of our landscapes require after decades of fire exclusion. The critical second step is prescribed burning. This is the best method to Applegaters increasing forest health and community wildfire resilience, working together to implement a controlled burn. Photo: Aaron Krikava. more site evaluations we can accomplish, the more ecologically and socially beneficial burns we can conduct. Register at form.jotform. com/242876871258168 or email clair@ pacificagarden.org. 2. April 4, 5, and 6—IGNITE Prescribed Fire Skills training Location: Siskiyou Field Institute, 1241 Illinois River Road, Selma, 9 am-5 pm Cost: $25 We are excited to have our second annual IGNITE Prescribed Fire Skills training at Siskiyou Field Institute. This training is for anyone who wants to learn about the intentional use of fire for healthy landscapes and safer communities. Experienced instructors will teach hands- on skills including weather monitoring, equipment use, ignition techniques, and basic burn planning. Additional talks will cover fire science, Indigenous cultural burning, and more. This event is offered in partnership with the OSU Extension’s Fire Program and ODF. You can register at blogs.oregonstate.edu/ignite. 3. April 12—S130/S190 Field Day Exercise and Pack Test Location: ODF Headquarters, 5286 Table Rock Road, Central Point, 8 am-3 pm Cost: Free This workshop is for anyone interested in learning the basic tools and skills of wildland firefighting (many of which are also useful for prescribed burning) and/ or being certified for employment as a wildland firefighter. Training stations will include hand tools, their use and maintenance, ignition devices, fire engines, hose packs, and radio communication. In conjunction with free online coursework, this class will allow participants to complete the requirements to be qualified as a National Wildfire Coordinating Group (NWCG) Fire Fighter Type 2 (FFT2/basic firefighter). For individuals seeking FFT2 certification, the necessary fire shelter deployment and arduous pack test will also be offered. For questions or to register, email RogueValleyPBA@gmail.com. Aaron Krikava RogueValleyPBA@gmail.com For residents of the Applegate Valley interested in joining the effort, the RVPBA offers a variety of ways to get involved. Whether through attending workshops, volunteering, participating in prescribed burn operations, or helping to feed volunteers on burns, there are opportunities for everyone to contribute to a safer, healthier landscape. To learn more about the RVPBA’s work in the Applegate and to sign up to volunteer or have your land tended, visit their website at roguevalleypba.com. Recently, the RVPBA, Oregon State University (OSU) Extension Services Fire Program, Southern Oregon Forest Restoration Collaborative, and Pacifica: A Garden in the Siskiyous have begun to collaborate to create more educational opportunities for community members, including students and families. Our next event, Intro to Planning a Prescribed Burn Workshop, is scheduled from 10 am-2 pm Friday, March 7, at Pacifica: A Garden in the Siskiyous, 14615 Water Gap Road, Williams. This workshop will explore the different factors involved in evaluating a site for a controlled burn, as well as layout and design of burn units. The workshop will be led by Chris Adlam, the OSU Extension Services fire specialist for southwest Oregon, and Aaron Krikava, the organizer of RVPBA. Register for the workshop using the QR code above. We hope to see you in the field soon! Clair Highfield • 541-787-5762 clair@pacificagarden.org Applegate Valley prescribed burn efforts BY CLAIR HIGHFIELD In the Applegate Valley, we have become familiar with fire and smoke over the past decade, and now community members are collaborating to reduce the risk of wildfires with prescribed burns. One of the most beneficial remedies to reduce wildfire risk is intentional, prescribed, controlled, or Indigenous-style fire. Wildfires, while dangerous, are also a natural part of many ecosystems, particularly in the Pacific Northwest. Unfortunately, generations of fire suppression have led to the accumulation of excess vegetation and a higher risk of large-scale, destructive fires. People in the Applegate Valley are coming together to conduct more community pile burns, prescribed burns, and educational opportunities through the Rogue Valley Prescribed Burn Association (RVPBA). The prescribed burn movement is community members working together to reduce fuels, restore ecosystems, and improve our relationship with fire. The RVPBA helps residents work together to reduce fuel loads and enhance wildfire resilience in their neighborhoods. Prescribed burning requires significant c o m m u n i t y c o o p e r a t i o n . Un l i k e traditional firefighting, which is often reactive, prescribed burning is proactive and relies on shared responsibility among landowners, agencies, and local groups. This is why the RVPBA began. The RVPBA approach is rooted in collaboration. By organizing groups of landowners and providing the necessary tools and knowledge, the RVPBA fosters a collective effort that not only reduces wildfire risks but also strengthens community ties. The success of the Prescribed Burn Association has been evident through expanding partnerships and a proven track record of conducting safe, effective burns.
