Northeast Oregon IGNITE Prescribed Fire Skills Training

Prescribed burning is widely recognized as an important tool for healthy landscapes and resilient communities. Growing interest, funding opportunities, and evolving agency mandates mean this practice is becoming more accessible to residents and natural resource professionals. OSU Extension, the Oregon Department of Forestry (ODF), Wallowa Soil and Water Conservation District, The Nature Conservancy, and Wallowa Resources is offering this hands-on, skill-building training for individuals with beginner and intermediate levels of experience, but all are welcome. Attendees will work together with a variety of practitioners and partners, breaking down barriers to accessing prescribed fire while promoting all-hands, all-lands partnership for fire resilience. Please note there will be no live fire at this event.

June 6th is an optional, half-day session in the afternoon for participants new to prescribed fire to learn about basic fire ecology and fire science. Attendees will be walking over uneven ground as you move from session to session so please wear suitable footwear; if you need any physical accommodations, please let us know in the registration form.

THE GOALS OF THE EVENT ARE:

• To provide hands-on training to diverse participants including Certified Burn Manager trainees, landowners, community members and contractors, students, fire personnel, and anyone else who wants to learn. Participants will learn about fire ecology and science, prescribed fire unit layout, firing and holding techniques, monitoring weather, and operating pumps and fire engines.
• To develop relationships between individuals interested in prescribed fire and encourage utilization of our collective capacity to implement prescribed fire.
• To encourage peer and intercultural learning where appropriate.

The cost for each attendee will be $25. If you are interested in attending but cost is a concern, please contact Elena Cussler at ecussler@wallowaresources.org for available stipends.

Camping will be available on site. If you are interested in camping or have other questions about the training, please contact Micah Schmidt at micah.schmidt@oregonstate.edu or (541) 787-7325.