This project creates and expands a sustainable safety zone reducing the risk of wildfire spread through fuels reduction and restoration of key access routes for maintenance and emergency fire response

This $237,157.61 Cooperative Agreement award from the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) under the Fuels Management and Community Fire Assistance Program Activities (CFDA 15.228) supports a project to create and expand a sustainable safety zone to reduce the risk of wildfire spread in Oregon. The funding will be used to improve and restore access to critical routes for power distribution, communications infrastructure, wildfire surveillance, and emergency fire response. Key activities include creating and improving access to canal water supply locations for use by emergency response vehicles, and establishing emergency pumping sites. The award has an initial project period from October 1, 2024 to September 30, 2029 and is provided to the Owyhee Irrigation District, a U.S. state government entity in Oregon focused on water management and infrastructure development for regional conservation efforts.

The funding will allocate resources to concentrate on improving and restoring access to routes that are critical to power distribution and communications infrastructure. These routes are also used to survey and suppress wildfires. Special focus shall be in creating and improving access to canal water supply locations for use by emergency response vehicles and creating emergency pumping sites.