Douglas Forest Protective Association Provides Education & Restrictions
By Craig Reed
The mission of the Douglas Forest Protective Association is to provide the highest level of service to safeguard life, resources and property from wildland fire through practical prevention and aggressive fire suppression. — Douglas Forest Protective Association mission statement
Local industrial timber owners decided in 1912 that they needed an association whose purpose was to protect their resources and investments in the land. The Douglas Forest Protective Association was established out of that discussion.
During the 112 years since DFPA’s focus has expanded beyond timberlands to include grazing land. As a result, the association protects 1.6 million acres in Douglas County.
“To support our mission statement, we provide fire prevention, fire detection, fire suppression, and fire finance,” DFPA District Manager Pat Skrip says. “We focus on those and all the logistics that go on to do so. Our strategy is to never get behind, but rather to be very aggressive, on fire prevention and suppression.”
Many of the properties Douglas Electric Cooperative members own fall under DFPA’s coverage.
“We’re so lucky to have the Douglas Forest Protective Association and other amazing agencies as our firefighters,” DEC General Manager Keith Brooks says. “Their dedication and hard work make our community safer every day. In my book, they’re the best in the nation. We truly appreciate everything they do to protect our members.”
According to Pat, 94% of fires in Douglas County during the past 10 to 12 years have been suppressed at 10 acres or fewer; 96% have been suppressed at 100 acres or fewer; and 98% have been suppressed at 1,000 acres or fewer. Pat says DFPA responds to fires swiftly, efficiently and aggressively with its own resources of firefighters and equipment.
“The remaining 2% are the challenge,” he says. “Those are the ones that have burned tens of thousands of acres in the last 12 years. Those are the ones that we’ve had to bring in outside sources to help fight.”
The association has 3 prevention programs. 1 involves industrial activities in the woods. As the temperature and fire danger increase, DFPA announces industrial fire precaution levels that limit work to cooler hours and mandate certain equipment and personnel requirements.
A second program focuses on fire prevention education for the public by using social media to communicate information and participating in live events with collaborative agencies, through community work, and with schools of every grade level, including colleges and universities.
Firewise is the third program. It encourages rural residents to maintain defensible space around their homes and other structures. DFPA wardens assess a single property or community and propose how to reduce the threat of fire. The focus is on clearing 30 to 100 feet around structures, reducing consumable fire fuels.
“Firewise provides education on good housekeeping practices in regard to the threat of fire,” Pat says. “That includes cleaning roofs and rain gutters (of pine needles and leaves) and limbing and trimming ladder fuels.”
Other fire prevention practices include keeping grass short and/or green, moving firewood or lumber piles away from structures, maintaining equipment and using spark arrestors, and having fire tools, water and extinguishers readily available during fire season.
“Be prepared and have a family plan for evacuation in case of a wildfire,” Pat says. “This plan should include knowing where important documents are, having provisions for livestock and pets, and making sure all members of the family are aware of the plan.”
Pat says there’s an inherent risk to living in the wildland areas.
“Each landowner needs to take the initiative to maintain defensible space around their structures,” he says. “During a conflagration (extensive fire), we don’t have enough resources to provide protection at multiple points, so maintaining defensible space and managing vegetation can benefit properties.”
Grants from Douglas County and other sources help fund Firewise. The association is working on obtaining a grant that focuses on rural seniors or disabled residents who need assistance in creating defensible spaces.
“We’re always pursuing grant opportunities to help our rural communities,” Pat says.
Douglas Forest Protective Association is a nonprofit organization. There had been 17 active associations in Oregon at one time, but now there are only 3: DFPA, Coos Forest Protective Association, and Walker Range Fire Patrol Associates. Associations in other areas dissolved as the Oregon Department of Forestry has taken over fire responsibilities.
The Douglas, Coos and Walker Range associations are 3 of only 5 similar active organizations in the United States.
Pat says DFPA remains a strong and viable model with a board of directors that includes industrial landowners, small woodland owners, and at-large residents. The staff consists of 20 year-round employees and 85 seasonal positions for firefighters and equipment operators.
“We’ve been able to maintain this model for DFPA because we have a strong industrial timber base, members, and a board of directors that are very supportive,” Pat says. “We believe the best solutions for wildfires come locally.”