Completed Project Report


Agricultural Wildfire Training and Preparedness

  • Award Amount: $29,000
  • Regional Center: Western Extension Risk Management Education Center
  • Grant Program: 2021 Education Projects

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Project Overview

Wildfire training specifically for farmers and ranchers was developed and delivered to improve wildfire prevention, preparedness, and fire suppression safety. Two online courses were developed focusing on wildfires in dryland cropping systems, such as wheat, and rangelands. One course covered pertinent information to meet Oregon OSHA training requirements and covered fire control, fire behavior, fireline safety, and proper fire equipment to use. The other course covered creating required emergency farm plans, farm maps, and defensible space on farms and ranches. The courses can be found here https://beav.es/ibX and https://beav.es/w92. These classes walk participants through creating an emergency action plan and fire prevention plan for their farming operation. Wildfires create risks to farm income, human health and stress, along with legal risk from personal and business liability. There is increased legal risk due to new Oregon OSHA requirements for wildfires on rangelands and croplands that many farmers and ranchers are not aware of and do not currently meet. This project reduced these risks for about 100 participants across the Pacific Northwest. In addition, a vegetative fuel break trial tested if yarrow, flax, and forage kochia can be planted in eastern Oregon as a fuel break to slow wildfire spread.

Number of Participants: 95

Outcomes

Project Steps

PROMOTIONAL MATERIALS

There are no promotional materials available for this project.

EDUCATIONAL MATERIALS

There are no educational materials available for this project.

REPORTS & EVALUATIONS

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DELIVERY AREA

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