This project will help protect people, homes, and land in hood river county, oregon, from wildfires

Hood River County received a $170,939.34 Cooperative Agreement from the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) under the Fuels Management and Community Fire Assistance Program (CFDA 15.228), awarded September 25, 2025, with a completion date of September 24, 2030. The primary deliverable is the establishment and operation of a full-time Wildfire Mitigation Coordinator (WMC) position to lead a comprehensive five-year wildfire risk reduction initiative in Hood River County, Oregon, one of the nation's highest-risk wildfire areas.

The WMC will execute four core service components: conducting at least 10 community wildfire education and preparedness events (minimum 2 annually); providing 200 free defensible space assessments for residential properties using Oregon State Fire Marshal standards; facilitating the establishment of Firewise USA Communities covering at least 200 homes, with prioritized focus on high-risk areas including Cascade Locks, Parkdale, Odell, Mount Hood, and Pine Grove; and coordinating with local fire districts and land managers to strengthen linkages between community mitigation efforts and public lands wildfire prevention activities. Outreach will employ radio, print, and online channels to maximize public engagement. The project benefits Hood River County residents, local emergency responders, land management agencies, and homeowners through enhanced wildfire preparedness and reduced fire risk across both private and public landscapes.

Activities

Hire and train a full-time wildfire mitigation coordinator hold at least 10 community wildfire education events (2 per year) visit at least 200 homes to give free wildfire safety assessments using oregon state fire marshal standards help neighborhoods become firewise USA communities, focusing on areas with high fire risk and limited access and work with local fire districts and land managers to connect community efforts with wildfire prevention work on nearby public lands. The WMC will focus on high-risk areas like cascade locks, parkdale, odell, mount hood, and pine grove, and will use radio, print, and online outreach to reach more people.expected deliverables: one full-time wildfire mitigation coordinator hired and trained 10 community events on wildfire safety and preparedness 200 defensible space assessments completed for local homes firewise USA communities formed, covering at least 200 homes improved coordination between public and private land managers and share data to help agencies plan future wildfire prevention work.

Intended beneficiaries

Residents of hood river county, who will be safer from wildfires and better prepared local fire districts and emergency responders, who will benefit from more fire-ready communities the BLM and other land managers, who will see reduced fire risk on nearby public lands homeowners, who will receive free wildfire risk assessments and support and the public, who will benefit from stronger community partnerships and safer landscapes.