Hoodland CPO Updates
By Pat Erdenberger, For The Mountain Times
This summer, Oregonians across the state have once again been reminded of just how quickly wildfire can change lives. The Grasshopper Fire, along with the Austin, Mitchell, and Narrows fires here in House District 52 have burned tens of thousands of acres across north-central Oregon, threatening communities, closing roads and recreation areas, and forcing evacuations.
For our district, these are not abstract numbers on a map. They affect our neighbors, our forests, our farms and ranches, our outdoor recreation economy, and the communities that make this part of Oregon such a special place. This destructive cycle must stop. We need a more aggressive, long-term strategy for reducing the amount of fuel available to these fires. That means expanding responsible forest thinning, mechanical fuel reduction, and prescribed burning where conditions allow.
As your legislator, I am committed to making it easier to get this work done. We must increase state funding for hazardous fuel reduction projects, prioritize treatments around communities and critical infrastructure, and expand grants that help small forestland owners’ complete projects they could not afford on their own. This work can be done in the winter when the threat of these massive fires is significantly reduced. This would provide year-round work in the forest for crews, reducing the challenges they face in the summer. We should also invest more in the local fire departments and rural districts that are often the first line of defense. Grants for equipment, staffing, training, and wildfire preparedness can help communities respond faster — before a small fire becomes a catastrophic one. Along those lines, I am committed to looking for ways to ensure bureaucratic red tape does not stop responsible individuals from addressing these fires before they get out of hand.
I want to thank the men and women who have fought and are fighting these fires. Firefighters, incident commanders, law enforcement officers, emergency managers, dispatchers, public works crews, utility workers, volunteers, and countless others put in long hours under incredibly difficult and dangerous conditions. Their professionalism and courage deserve our gratitude and support. I also want to thank the families and communities who have opened their homes, businesses, and resources to those affected by evacuations. When the Wasco County fair had to close, Hood River County stepped up to help our 4-H students. I have always said I represent the most beautiful district. Far from the breathtaking views, what makes House District 52 truly incredible is the kindness, resilience, and love her people exhibit for each other every day.
No single policy will prevent every wildfire. Some fires are inevitable, particularly in a state with increasingly difficult fire conditions. We can control however, whether those fires encounter healthy, resilient forests or landscapes overloaded with fuel. Oregon owes it to our firefighters, our communities, and future generations to do more than fight the fires we have today. We need to reduce the fires we can prevent — and make tomorrow’s fires less destructive. As always, you can reach me at Rep.JeffHelfrich@oregonlegislature.gov or 503-986-1452.