In 2024, wildfires burned 1.8 million acres in Eastern Oregon. The fires created immediate needs for communities, such as finding evacuation information, sourcing alternative feed for livestock and contacting agencies for help.
Extension's post-fire assessment and prioritization framework has been used to develop strategies for over 400,000 acres burned in the Cow Valley and Durkee fires.
During the fires, Katie Wollstein, Oregon State University Extension Service rangeland fire specialist for Harney and Malheur counties, provided crucial information to residents, landowners and agricultural producers through individual contacts, radio interviews and public meetings. Wollstein and others also supported emergency managers and incident teams by connecting them with the right people and organizations, such as coordinating livestock evacuations.
After the fires were put out, landowners and agencies faced tough decisions about where to focus rehabilitation efforts. OSU organized a post-fire resource meeting for those affected by the Falls and Telephone fires, bringing in speakers from various organizations and moderating panels to provide relevant information sensitively.
Wollstein’s outreach efforts reached about 270 residents, landowners and producers directly affected by the wildfires in Harney, Malheur and Baker Counties. Wollstein also created a “Post-fire resources for eastern Oregon agricultural and livestock producers“ information sheet, listing contacts for various needs. This sheet was distributed by Extension, the Oregon Cattlemen’s Association and several government offices.
Wollstein and Dustin Johnson, an Extension faculty member, co-developed a post-fire prioritization framework with The Nature Conservancy and the U.S. Department of Agriculture Agricultural Research Service to help landowners and agencies decide on management actions and prioritize resources. Together, they provided instruction on using this framework through presentations and workshops, reaching 301 landowners, agency staff and rangeland organizations.
OSU Extension also made individual plans for properties within burned areas and larger plans for the Cow Valley and Durkee fires to help agencies like the Natural Resource Conservation Service and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service prioritize funding allocation and rehabilitation efforts.
The post-fire resources information sheet guided landowners and producers to the right agencies during a chaotic time. The impact of the post-fire resources meeting extended beyond those who attended, as Extension received inquiries from other organizations seeking guidance on hosting similar meetings. Wollstein’s radio interview on NPR Morning Edition informed a national audience about the unexpected costs of wildfire to ranchers and the challenges in distributing federal aid.
Extension’s technical assistance with post-fire planning continues to have an impact. Its post-fire assessment and prioritization framework has been used to develop strategies for over 400,000 acres burned in the Cow Valley and Durkee fires. Additionally, two landowners used its ranch-level post-fire strategies to attract funding for critical stabilization and rehabilitation projects.