Forest Trust Land Advisory Committee Meets Virtually On Aug. 21 - 08/14/26

SALEM, Ore. — The Forest Trust Land Advisory Committee meets virtually at 10 a.m. on Friday, Aug. 21. To join, please use the Teams video conference information found on the agenda.

Agenda items will include:

• Update on Performance Measures for Western Oregon State Forests Management Plan
• FTLAC upcoming meetings

Public comment is scheduled at the beginning of the meeting. To submit written comment, email ftlac.comment@odf.oregon.gov. Written comments sent at least 48 hours before the meeting will give the FTLAC time to review and consider information. Comments submitted after that window of time will be sent to the FTLAC after the meeting, entered into the record and posted online. Comments are not accepted after the meeting concludes.

The Forest Trust Land Advisory Committee is comprised of seven county commissioners representing 15 Oregon counties where state forestlands are located. The FTLAC is a statutorily established committee that advises the Board of Forestry on matters related to forestland managed by ODF. View more information on the FTLAC webpage.

Accommodations for people with disabilities, and special materials, services, or assistance can be arranged by calling at least 48 hours in advance of the meeting at 503-945-7200 or by email at ftlac.comment@odf.oregon.gov.

Oregon Department Of Forestry Deploys Incident Management Team To Fielder Mountain Fire - 08/14/26

Salem, Ore. – The Oregon Department of Forestry (ODF) has deployed Complex Incident Management Team (CIMT) 1 to the ODF Southwest Oregon District to assume command of the Fielder Mountain Fire outside of Grants Pass.

The Fielder Mountain Fire originally began Thursday afternoon and quickly grew due to hot, windy conditions. The fire is in the foothills adjacent to the town of Rogue River and visible from I-5. The fire was last estimated to be 550 acres and burning in timber. The cause of the fire is under investigation.

“Our top priorities in fighting this fire are limiting its growth, while protecting the surrounding communities and ensuring all our firefighters go home safe at the end of their shift,” said Dan Quinones, ODF Southwest Oregon District Forester.  

ODF CIMT 1 will in brief today at 12 p.m. and transfer command will be at 6 p.m. tonight.

For the latest evacuation information, follow the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office and Josephine County Sheriff’s Office.

“Every new spark matters and increases the risk to our communities, as well as our firefighters,” said Michael Curran, ODF Fire Protection Division Chief. “I am urging Oregonians to do their part. Check local fire restrictions, remain aware of weather conditions and stay up to date on emergency alerts.”

Check local fire restrictions at https://www.oregon.gov/odf/fire/pages/restrictions.aspx.

Oregon Department Of Forestry Deploys Incident Management Teams To Fires In Central Oregon (Photo) - 08/10/26

Salem, Ore. – The Oregon Department of Forestry (ODF) has deployed Complex Incident Management Team (CIMT) 3 to the ODF Central Oregon District to manage the Bologna and Cottonwood Fire near Kimberly, Oregon.

The Bologna Fire originally began July 16 and reignited yesterday. The Cottonwood Fire began last week and has been managed by a Type 3 Central Oregon Fire Management Service Team. Both fires are currently under investigation. ODF CIMT 3 will in brief today at 7 p.m. and will transfer command of the two fires at 6 a.m. tomorrow morning.

Additionally, ODF has mobilized ODF CIMT 2 to the Rowe Creek Complex, which is also in ODF’s Central Oregon District and covers a large area of land between Prineville and Fossil, Oregon. A partial team has already arrived at the complex to support suppression efforts and the remainder of ODF CIMT 2 will arrive at the end of the week.

The Rowe Creek Complex has been an ongoing incident since July 15. As Southwest CIMT 2’s assignment ends, the fire is still in need of management support and ODF CIMT 2 is happy to fill that need. Transfer of command will be at 6 a.m. on Sunday, August 16.

“As a district, we’ve been spread incredibly thin this season, so we are happy to have the support of the complex incident management teams on these fires,” said Rob Pentzer, ODF Central Oregon District Forester.  

The fire information as of today is as follows:

• Rowe Creek Complex: 371,549 acres, 84% contained
• Bologna : 3,860 acres, 30% contained
• Cottonwood: 723 acres, 45% contained

Evacuations are in effect for these fires. Follow the local county sheriff’s office for more up-to-date evacuation information and sign up for emergency alerts at ORalert.gov.

“This has been a rough season so far and we’re not even halfway” said Michael Curran, ODF Fire Protection Division Chief. “It is so important right now that every Oregonian please do their part and prevent the next human-caused fire.”

As firefighters continue to work to suppress wildfires, reduce the strain on firefighters by preventing new human-caused fires. Follow local regulations currently in place: https://www.oregon.gov/odf/fire/pages/restrictions.aspx. Remain aware and informed.

Smoke Management Rulemaking Advisory Committee Meets Aug. 12 - 08/07/26

A series of rulemaking advisory committee meetings has been scheduled to discuss updates to the smoke management rules.

The committee’s focus will be to discuss regulated areas. This will include multiple work sessions and public comment.

The first meeting took place July 15, view the meeting video. The second meeting took place July 29, view the meeting video. The next meeting is scheduled for Aug. 12. More may be scheduled in the future. All meetings will be held virtually and are open to the public.

To join, please use the Teams video conference information found on the agenda.

There will be a period for public comment. Requests for an interpreter for the hearing impaired or other accommodations for persons with disabilities should be made at least 48 hours before the meeting by contacting Shelby Berry at 503-949-5181.

Emerald Ash Borer Pops Up In More New Places, Including First Detections In Beaverton, Salem And Rockcreek (Photo) - 08/06/26

BEAVERTON, Ore. - Emerald ash borer (EAB), an exotic beetle that infests and kills ash, olive, and white fringetrees, has been confirmed for the first time inside Beaverton, Salem, at Bethany Lake Park in the Rockcreek area, as well as at the Oregon Garden in Silverton. EAB was also detected along the Banks-Vernonia State Trail marking the first time EAB has been found in an Oregon state park. Jackson Bottom Wetlands Preserve in Hillsboro also reports it has likely found EAB there for the first time. That report is awaiting official confirmation from the state.

The beetles were found when traps set out this spring were checked in July.

In addition, EAB was found again in the same school parking lot in east Portland where it showed up last summer, as well as reappearing in Hazeldale Park west of Beaverton.

EAB was first found in Oregon in Forest Grove in Washington County in June 2022. That made Oregon the first state on the West Coast to report an infestation. Since then it has been found in four other counties in the Willamette Valley - Clackamas, Marion, Multnomah, and Yamhill.

Salem 

The City of Salem has been preparing for the arrival of emerald ash borer in the city for several years. An important first step was conducting an inventory of street, park, and natural-area ash trees. Salem identified nearly 4,000 ash trees along streets, in parks, and in over 400 acres of natural areas with a high density of Oregon ash. The City also has:

• Created management plans for identified ash trees on City-owned property
• Created and published an Emerald Ash Borer Readiness and Response Plan (https://www.cityofsalem.net/community/natural-environment-climate/trees-and-plants/emerald-ash-borer)   
• Halted the siting and planting of new ash trees
• Begun pre-emptive removal of ash trees in poor health
• Moved to inject insecticide into around 1,200 ash trees identified to be in good health to protect them from EAB
  • These injections began in summer 2025 with 600 trees in the northern part of the city receiving injections last year, and another 600 trees to be injected next spring. The treatments are highly effective at killing EAB and keeping trees alive through their natural lifespan if treatment is started before infestation damages trees and is continued every 2-3 years.

The City of Salem will continue to carry out other work to mitigate and contain EAB, including: 

• Underplanting in natural areas around ash trees
• Replacing removed ash trees along streets and parks with a wide variety of other species to add resilience and diversity to the urban canopy
• Providing education and outreach about EAB through social and print media and at community events.

Learn more about Salem’s response plans here.

Beaverton’s response

Beaverton’s Urban Forestry team was spurred by EAB detections in places just west of the city over the past few years to start preparing in earnest. Beaverton received a one-year grant from the Tualatin Soil and Water Conservation District in October 2024 to help with EAB mitigation. During the 2025 treatment season the Beaverton Urban Forestry team used the grant’s funds to treat 600 of the 2,000 inventoried ash street trees, with plans to protect a further 600 soon. Beaverton has also planted 60 new street trees with the help of volunteers and Friends of Trees.

“In response to the threat of EAB, in 2026 we have so far treated 22 city-maintained natural area trees 20 inches in diameter and larger and planted over 2,000 native trees and shrubs,” said Beaverton City Arborist and Public Works Supervisor Jered Lane. “We are continuing to monitor ash street trees throughout the city with regular inspections, respond to concerns about possible cases in Beaverton, and educate the public about EAB.”

Advice for cities and homeowners

One immediate step cities should be taking is to stop planting ash and olive trees and if they haven’t already to remove them from their list of approved street and yard trees.  The second is to make sure City staff who work with trees know how to identify an ash or olive tree. A PowerPoint on how to do that can be found at https://www.oregon.gov/odf/forestbenefits/Documents/identifying-ash-trees-march-2023.pdf

If you think you’ve seen an emerald ash borer, the Oregon Dept. of Forestry (ODF) and Oregon Dept. of Agriculture ask that you first make sure it’s not a common look-alike bug.

“Keep in mind that EAB adults are only around from June through September. You can find a good description and photos comparing EAB to other common insects in Oregon that are also green in color at OregonEAB.com,” said ODF EAB Specialist Kat Bethea. “If you can capture the beetle in a jar or other container that’s ideal, but at least try and take a clear, close-up photo. This helps us identify the insect in question much more easily.”

Bethea said people suspecting they’ve found EAB should report it over the phone to 1-866-INVADER or online at https://oregoninvasiveshotline.org/reports/create. Attaching a clear photo is important. Bethea said people who know they have an ash tree and notice a decline should report it the same way.

“Any ash tree can be infested, including native Oregon ash as well as non-native street, park and yard trees. Signs of infestation include thinning and yellowing leaves, bark splitting, D-shaped holes in the tree bark, and shoots from buds on the trunk or branches,” said Bethea.

Matt Mills, who is also an EAB Specialist with ODF, said, “You can find whether or not you’re in an EAB-infested area or close to one by checking an online map we’ve created. It shows the five counties where firewood from hardwood trees cannot be removed. That quarantine also covers any part of ash, olive or white fringetree (Chionanthus virginicus).”

People who want to protect their ash trees before they become infested should consider the same treatment Beaverton, Portland, and Salem are using to protect their high-value public ash trees. “The insecticide is injected at the base of the trunk and gets taken up into the tree canopy and is quite effective at protecting the tree from both adults and larvae,” said Mills.

Mills said treatments must be done before trees are damaged and repeated every two or three years by a licensed pesticide applicator.

“That’s why we recommend only treating high-value trees in good condition,” he said. “Ash trees planted in the wrong place to reach their mature size, such as under powerlines, should be removed as time and funds permit and replaced with species that aren’t susceptible to EAB.” 

Homeowners might also consider replacing young ash trees while they are still small and starting over by planting a species that is not susceptible to EAB.  “This gets new tree canopy jump-started in urban areas where ash trees will be lost if not treated,” Mills said.

America’s most destructive forest pest

Since it was first found in Michigan two decades ago, EAB has become the most destructive forest pest ever seen in North America. Where they spread to, EAB larvae eventually kill almost all ash trees by feeding on the living tissues under the bark. Oregon ash and all other American and European ash species are susceptible. The insect is devastating ash stands from the Atlantic Ocean to the Rocky Mountains. Hundreds of millions of ash trees in the U.S. and Canada have already been killed by EAB.

For more information visit the Oregon Invasive Species Council EAB web site at  www.oregoneab.com

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Interagency Cooperation Puts Fires Out Quickly In Central Oregon (Photo) - 08/03/26

REDMOND, Ore.—The Central Oregon Interagency Dispatch Center is working hard to catch and put out wildfires while they are small.  They have the responsibility to coordinate the first response to these fires, called “initial attack.”

“The center has been key to suppressing more than 100 fires already this year with their efficient and fast deployment of initial firefighting resources,” said Rick Fletcher, Assistant District Forester for the Oregon Department of Forestry’s (ODF) Central Oregon District.  The center coordinates the physical firefighting resources of ODF, U.S Forest Service and the newly created U.S. Wildland Fire Service.

“Most importantly the center brings together hundreds of years of state and federal firefighting experience to manage those resources to protect the people and property of central Oregon no matter who owns the land,” said Fletcher.

This close cooperation between state and federal agencies didn’t always happen historically.

“It was crazy 20-years ago, Forest Service trucks would pass ODF trucks on the same road going opposite directions to different fires because both agencies would only do initial attack on their lands,” said Jason Gibb, U.S. Forest Service Deputy Fire Staff for Central Oregon Fire Management Service.  “Now under our jointly funded and jointly staffed center, we use the closest forces concept. The firefighting resources closest to the fire get dispatched no matter the landowner.”

According to Fletcher, there are two major advantages to this joint approach to dispatching: “We get to fires quicker and safety is improved since we are moving resources shorter distances.”  

That quick response is also extremely efficient, especially during intense thunderstorm activity.  For example, on July 22, the central Oregon area received an estimated 2,000 lightning strikes from a storm. Firefighters responded to more than 35 reported wildfires.   Several of those fires had an interagency response, including Incident #551, that was burning three miles northeast of Terrebonne on the north side of the Crooked River east of Smith Rock State Park.

“The fire was on federal land but responding resources include municipal, state and federal engines and crews,” said Fletcher.  “Because of the fast joint response, we stopped the forward progress that night.  It was a great catch.”   Fletcher has firsthand knowledge of that quick response since he was one of the closest resources and was the incident commander for the fire.

The center’s job doesn’t stop with a successful allocation of resources nor when the lightening stops. 

“Lightening that strikes trees or vegetation can sometimes smolder for several days without producing significant smoke,” said Matt Noble, who monitors ODF smoke cameras and other detection resources for the central Oregon area. “Sometimes we see a little smoke for a few minutes then it’s gone because of the rain with the thunderstorm. That makes monitoring that area critical for the next several days in case it flares up.”

Those found fires’ locations are pushed to the center’s other staff for quick coordinated action. Then ground or air resources are sent to the fire starts to catch them before they can grow.

The center also tracks all firefighting resources in the area. The numbers change daily, and even hourly, there are a lot of fires in central Oregon. Currently, there are 32 large fires in Oregon with more than 11,700 people assigned to them, and nearly all of those fires and resources are on the east side of the state. This year, wildfires have burned more than 2 million acres statewide, with much of that in central and eastern Oregon.

“The challenge for the center is to have resources available for initial attack when these lightning storms hit, while not hampering the efforts to control the current large fires,” said Fletcher. 

The center does this though a jointly agreed upon priority list, but center staff still have to use their expertise to make that final decision on what firefighting resources go to which fire when.

“It’s not necessarily first come first served during the height of fire season, said Gibbs. “We look at (fire) fuels, weather, terrain, distances to those priorities, prior thinning and treatment like prescribed fire, and more—just many factors we take into consideration before we make our dispatch decisions.  And, all this must be done quickly and efficiently.”

The central Oregon area is so large—encompassing land from The Dalles down past Prineville and across to John Day—that one interagency center is not enough to coordinate all the firefighting resources to protect Oregonians, their communities, and the state’s natural resources. “We have three primary interagency centers we coordinate and staff that support central Oregon,” said Fletcher. Those centers are in Redmond, Vancouver, and John Day. Relevant and timely information is shared between the centers based on fire locations and available resources.

“I’ve worked firefighting jobs all over the state and this interagency model of centers is the most efficient and most effective,” said Fletcher.  “It’s the best way to protect people and property.”

For more on the Central Oregon Interagency Dispatch Center see: Central Oregon Interagency Dispatch Center

For the latest update on central Oregon wildfire activity see: Wildfire Updates | Air Quality | Central Oregon Fire Information

Newest RFPA Trained, Responding To Fires (Photo) - 07/29/26

Pendleton, Ore. – Oregon’s newest Rangeland Fire Protection Association (RFPA), the North Pendleton RFPA, is fully trained and responding to new fire starts in their area.

Upon request of landowners in northern Umatilla County, the formation of the North Pendleton RFPA was approved by the Oregon Board of Forestry on March 4, 2026.  This was the first new RFPA to form since the Grizzly RFPA in March 2023. 

“There has been a desire to have some sort of fire protection North of Pendleton for at least my lifetime,” said Randy Bracher from the North Pendleton RFPA. “I’m blown away by the level of support our community, local fire protection districts and community leaders have for this RFPA.”

The Oregon Department of Forestry (ODF) alongside the U.S. Wildland Fire Service, the U.S. Forest Service and local fire district personnel instructed two basic fire training classes that were attended by 62 of the new association members.

ODF also assisted in providing 20 portable radios, 70 pieces of personal protective equipment (PPE) and six pieces of Federal Excess Firefighting Equipment. This level of assistance was made possible through HB 3349, which established the Rangeland Protection Association Fund and authorized ODF to transfer used vehicles and other firefighting equipment to RFPAs through sale or donation.

“We officially began on March 4 of this year and have been on our heels to get trained up and the resources we need,” Bracher said. “Our optimum goal in creating the RFPA was safety and communication.”

On June 14, the association responded to their first large fire, the Twin Sisters Fire. So far this summer, the association has responded to eight fires.

“It’s been an incredible experience to work with these landowners through the RFPA formation process,” said Allison Rayburn, ODF’s Rangeland Coordinator. “And it was amazing to hear them say after their first large fire response that the RFPA model was a great success and that communication, safety, and quick action were all key to getting a handle on the fire.”

RFPAs support during initial attack and willingness to share their knowledge of the surrounding area make them a vital local resource in wildfire suppression efforts in Oregon.

Smoke Management Rulemaking Advisory Committee Meets July 29 - 07/28/26

A series of three meetings of a rulemaking advisory committee on updating the smoke management rules have been scheduled.

The committee’s focus will be to discuss regulated areas. This will include multiple work sessions and public comment.

The first meeting took place July 15, view the meeting video. The second meeting is Wednesday, July 29 from 1 – 3 p.m. via Teams. One additional meeting is scheduled for Aug. 12. More may be scheduled in the future. All meetings will be held virtually and are open to the public.

To join, please use the Teams video conference information found on the agenda.

There will be a period for public comment. Requests for an interpreter for the hearing impaired or other accommodations for persons with disabilities should be made at least 48 hours before the meeting by contacting Shelby Berry at 503-949-5181.

ODF Brings In Incident Management Team From Florida To Take Over East Evans Creek Fire (Photo) - 07/24/26

The Florida CIMT is committed to managing the East Evans Creek Fire for a standard assignment, which is 14 days. After 6 a.m. Monday, ODF CIMT 1 members will return home and have two mandatory rest days before being available for assignment again.

Compliance Monitoring Program Committee Meets July 30 - 07/23/26

SALEM, Ore. — The Compliance Monitoring Program Committee will hold a virtual meeting Thursday, July 30, from 9 to 10:30 a.m. To join virtually, please use the Teams video conference information found on the agenda.

The committee’s agenda includes:

• Roads and steep slopes pilot study updates
• Riparian pilot study report discussion       

The meeting is open to the public to attend online via Teams. Requests for an interpreter for the hearing impaired or other accommodations for persons with disabilities should be made at least 48 hours before the meeting by emailing Marta Frias-Bedolla.

The CMP Committee assists in efforts to monitor compliance with Forest Practices Rules. The committee advises ODF regarding monitoring projects and procedures. View more information on the CMPC webpage.

Board Approves Plan For State Forests Management (Photo) - 07/22/26

SALEM, Ore.—In a 5-2 vote this morning, the Oregon Board of Forestry approved a new Western Oregon State Forests Management Plan (FMP). This long-term plan, along with locally-focused, shorter-term implementation and operation plans, ensures state forests provide the social, economic and environmental benefits required of state forestlands.

The new plan is aligned with the expected approval of the submitted Western Oregon State Forests Habitat Conservation Plan (HCP) by the federal services later this year or in early 2027. The board’s approval stipulates that the new FMP is to become effective once ODF receives an approved HCP and incidental take permits from the federal services.

“This plan, when implemented along with the HCP, will provide economic certainty for timber harvests, environmental protections and enhancements, and continued recreational opportunities for all who depend on, use, and care about Oregon’s state forests,” said Mike Wilson, chief of ODF’s State Forests Division.

The new FMP has been in development since 2018, and Wilson has been involved with the effort from the start. “Developing a plan like this over such a long timeframe not only requires immense dedication from ODF staff, but an enormous about of outreach and collaboration,” Wilson said. “Our county partners, tribes, other state agencies, stakeholders and the general public have been essential in crafting a plan that would be compatible with an HCP and still provide decision space for the board and department to manage our state forestlands into the future.”

When effective, the new FMP will replace the 2010 Northwest and Southwest FMPs and the 2011 Elliott State Forest FMP. (The Elliott FMP still governs the management of Board of Forestry parcels adjacent to the Elliott State Research Forest.) While state forests management is still government by the current FMP and associated implementation and annual operating plans, the board’s decision gives ODF the clarity to move forward with crafting new plans for fiscal year 2028 that provide more specific management objectives and operational details.

For more on the management of state forests see ODF’s website.

The Western Oregon State Forests Habitat Conservation Plan under review by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and NOAA Fisheries, provides an integrated, collaborative, ecosystem-based approach to species conservation across the landscape and will ideally result in the department being issued incidental take permits (ITPs) for 15 species of wildlife and fish. The conservation measures in the HCP are designed to offset potential impacts from forest management, while the ITPs ensure compliance with the Endangered Species Act (ESA). Together, the plan and permits provide a more holistic, cost-effective approach to ESA compliance, while also creating more certainty around the long-term financial viability of managing state forests for economic benefits. Learn more about the HCP here.

Adaptive Management Program Committee Meets July 28 - 07/21/26

SALEM, Ore. — The Adaptive Management Program Committee will meet virtually at 1 p.m. on Tuesday, July 28. To join, please use the Teams video conference information found on the agenda.

The committee’s agenda includes:

• Report from AMPC-IRST subcommittee on effectiveness monitoring strategy
• IRST Co-chairs presentation on scoping proposals on Amphibians questions 1 & 2
• Amphibians questions 1 & 2 into existing research agenda – This is a decision item

The meeting is open to the public to attend online via Teams. Public comments will be accepted near the start of the meeting. Requests for an interpreter for the hearing impaired or other accommodations for persons with disabilities should be made at least 48 hours in advance of the meeting at 503-945-7200 or by email at adaptivemanagementprogram@odf.oregon.gov.

The 13-member committee The Adaptive Management Program Committee helps determine if forest practices are meeting their goals to protect natural resources through a science-based and transparent process. The committee sets the research agenda that the Independent Research and Science Team (IRST) implements. View more information on the AMPC webpage.