Tag: wildfire

It is that Hot and Dry Time of Year

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Wildfire & Evacuation Preparedness

As we head into wildfire season, Eugene Emergency Management and Eugene Springfield Fire want to remind you to:
* Sign up for emergency alerts
* Know evacuation levels
* Check your go bag/kit
* Take preventative actions

Emergency Alerts Lane Alerts is the place to sign up to receive alerts from fire, police and other emergency response agencies. Sign up today at Lane Alerts. 

Evacuation Levels In Oregon, evacuations are issued as Level 1, Level 2 or Level 3. While every effort is made to provide time for evacuation, keep in mind that the levels may NOT go in order. This means that you may only receive a Level 3 – Go Now! If you are close to the start of a fire may not receive an alert but may be contacted by first responders knocking on doors or making announcements from vehicles.We encourage you to use your situational awareness. Make the decision to evacuate if you feel unsafe.

Go Bags/Kits should be a backpack or other easy to carry bag or tote. Items recommended for inclusion are below: 
* Non-perishable food and water (three-day supply if possible)
* Necessary prescriptions and medications
* Extra eyeglasses/contact lenses
* A printed map of areas near your home/work showing multiple ways to evacuate
* A change of clothing
* Credit cards, cash, checks (note that internet to use credit cards may not be available)
* Flashlight and battery-powered radio (include extra batteries)
* Extra charger for phone and other items you include in your bag/kit
* First aid kitPersonal hygiene itemsImportant documents (birth certificates, passports, insurance information, etc.) *Consider digital backups for these items
* Pen and Paper
* Face mask and hand sanitizer
* Photos and other easy-to-carry irreplaceable items (know where these items are and leave room to add them to your bag/kit it time allows)
* For pets: food, water, carriers and leashes should also be easily accessible
* For children/infants: include any diapers, formula, and other necessary items. Also consider a toy or other item to help them feel safe and stay entertained

Prepare your Home: Taking time to prepare your home can increase the chances that it will survive a wildfire. Some tasks to get started are below. For more information, request a FREE assessment from Eugene Springfield Fire: Assessment Request Task Checklist
* Clean roof and gutters
* Cover attic and crawl space vents with 1/8 inch metal wire mesh
*Keep grass mowed to 4 inches or less
*Remove burnable items and vegetation within 5 feet of your home
*Do not use combustible bark mulch; limit the use of mulch within 30 feet of your home
*Prune tree limbs up 6 feet from the ground 

Use Caution Preventing fires starts with you. Use caution when working with gas-powered equipment, grilling, camping or doing any other activities that have potential to start a wildfire. For tips on how to prevent wildfires, check out: Oregon State Fire Marshal : Prevent Wildfires : Education : State of Oregon

Stay Informed: To view any current evacuations in Lane County, you can visit: Evacuations in Lane County. If you are traveling in Oregon, evacuation, smoke and active fire information can be found at OSFM Interactive Maps Eugene Emergency Management and Eugene Springfield Fire thank you for doing your part to keep our community safe from wildfire.

May, 2024 Wildfire Response Meeting – Video Available

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Our May 16th, 2024 General Meeting was a Community Conversation at Hilyard Community Center focused on Wildfire Response. The conversation was focused on the following questions:

• What agencies provide what response if Eugene South Hills catches fire this summer?  
• What evacuation routes are designated? 
• Where have fire breaks in the south hills been created? 
• What is involved in maintaining them? 
• What other mitigation work has been done? 
• What can a homeowner do to minimize risk? 

The video of the entire meeting can be found on Youtube here. 

Explaining each agency’s role are panelists from

  • Eugene Springfield Fire
  • Oregon Department of Forestry
  • Eugene Parks and Open Spaces
  • City of Eugene
  • Northwest Youth Corps

A big thank you to John Q of Whole Community News for making the video available. 

The SHiNA Board wants to acknowledge and thank Ian Appow of ECO Solutions for organizing this event. And last but not least, the well-prepared panelists, experts and leaders of their agencies.

May 15th General Meeting: Reducing Wildfire Risk

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A Community Conversation about Reducing Wildfire Risk and the SW Hills of Eugene

SHiNA General Membership Meeting
Wednesday, May 15 at 6:30 p.m.
Free and open to the Community

Hilyard Community Center
2580 Hilyard Street, Eugene

Please join us for the second in our series of Community Conversations on Emergency Preparedness on the topic of wildfire relative to the South Hills Neighborhood Association. A major part of being prepared is learning about what steps we as a community can take to reduce the opportunities for wildfires to start and spread. This meeting will feature representatives from local agencies speaking from each of their unique perspectives within their roles and organizations to provide insight on better adapting to the risk of wildfire in the South Hills area of Eugene. Handouts available.

Presented/Facilitated by Ian Appow, ECO System Solutions

Panelist from Eugene Springfield Fire, Oregon Department of Forestry, Eugene Parks and Open Spaces, City of Eugene, Northwest Youth Corps