Wildfire preparedness event April 29 for Hood River County residents

HOOD RIVER — Community members are invited to attend an upcoming event focused on improving wildfire preparedness and building a more fire-resilient Hood River County.

Hosted by the Hood River All-Lands Partnership, Oregon State Fire Marshal, Oregon State University Extension and local partners, “Before Wildfire Strikes: Improving Wildfire Preparedness in Hood River County,” will provide practical tools, resources, and information to help residents protect their homes, families, and communities.

Wildfire risk in Hood River County continues to intensify with hotter and drier conditions. While fire is a natural part of the landscape, experts emphasize that community preparedness plays a critical role in reducing impacts of future fires.

The event will:

• Characterize wildfire risk in Hood River,

• Describe how landowners and agencies are collectively responding to risk, and

• Highlight recent community wildfire risk reduction projects in Indian Creek.

Participants will have the opportunity to hear from local experts, connect with agencies and organizations working on wildfire resilience, and access resources tailored to Hood River County.

“Wildfire preparedness is a shared responsibility,” notes Andy Dwyer, fire risk reduction specialist with Oregon State Fire Marshal. “By taking action at the individual and neighborhood level, we can significantly increase the resilience of our entire community.”

This event is free, open to the public, and will take place on April 29 at Columbia Center for the Arts from 6-8:30 p.m. All community members are encouraged to attend. For more information and event details, visit www.extension.oregonstate.edu/hoodriver/events/wildfire-strikes-improving-wildfire-preparedness-hood-river-county.