Fires at four Land Trust Preserves in July and August have made for a unprecedented summer for the Land Trust. We are so grateful for all the offers of help from volunteers, partners, and supporters. We appreciate your thoughtfulness and willingness to lend a hand!
The Land Trust knows restoration efforts from these fires will be ongoing for years to come, and we are dedicated to helping our Preserves recover. Right now, we are focusing on the early fire recovery efforts that will help set the stage for future efforts. You can learn more about what that means for each Preserve in the update below. We also want to remind everyone to please be sure to respect our closure at Whychus Canyon Preserve. It is very unsafe out there with lots of downed trees and wildlife need the space to recover.
- Aspen Hollow Preserve: Only a small portion of the Preserve burned in the Flat Fire in August. While staff have yet to visit the burned portion of the Preserve, the burn appears to have been lower intensity. Initial restoration efforts will likely focus on restoring firefighting hand lines that were built and reseeding the meadow which was used for firefighting efforts. Aspen Hollow Preserve remains closed to general public access (as it was before the fire), and can be visited on guided tours.
- Rimrock Ranch (pictured above): The Flat Fire burned a large portion of Rimrock Ranch in August. We are still waiting on final maps to understand the extent and intensity of the burn. The restored portion of Whychus Creek at Rimrock Ranch continues to look green with few impacts from the fire, and the restoration likely helped reduce burn intensity. Hazard tree removal is now complete on major roads at the property. Power and water have yet to be restored to structures on site. Staff have been at Rimrock Ranch doing initial assessments to inform next steps. We are also working with our partners (see list below) to complete other burn area assessments. These reports will serve as our baseline for how to approach restoration efforts on everything from bulldozer lines to burned sections of forest and stream.
- Priday Ranch: More than 75% of Priday Ranch was burned in the Cram Fire in July. Initial hazard tree removal is now complete. Crews were focused on removing burned trees that might fall on key roads and access points at the property. Contractors are on the ground now completing burned area assessments. Their report will help the Land Trust understand the extent and intensity of the burn, and will guide restoration efforts. While this is underway, staff have been busy planning for early herbicide treatments and subsequent seeding that will help the explosion of weedy annual grasses (cheatgrass, etc) that typically follow fire. The Land Trust is also working closely with our partners to coordinate with larger burn recovery efforts.
- Whychus Canyon Preserve: The Flat Fire burned a large portion of Whychus Canyon Preserve in August. We are still waiting on final maps to understand the extent and intensity of the burn. Initial reports suggest a mixed burn intensity in some portions of the Preserve. Like Rimrock Ranch, the restored portion of Whychus Creek at the Preserve is looking green and may have helped reduce burn intensity. Some of parts of Whychus Creek that burned more intensely are already showing fresh green plant sprouts. Hazard tree efforts are underway, focusing on safe access for burn assessments. Staff have been in some portions of the Preserve to do initial assessments. We are also working with our partners (see list below) to complete other burn area assessments. These reports will serve as our baseline for how to approach restoration efforts. Whychus Canyon Preserve remains closed to the public. Please respect this closure as it is very dangerous at the Preserve with all the burned and falling trees, and wildlife need the space to recover.
As we move into the coming weeks and months, we will know more about impacts to the Preserves and the post-burn recovery we will face. We will be sure to share what we learn with our neighbors, many of whom are facing similar fire recovery and restoration. If you would like to support the Land Trust during this unprecedented time, please make a donation today.
Many thanks to our partners for all their hard work during the fire and with post-fire recovery! We are so grateful to have you by our side: Firefighters and first responders, Bureau of Land Management, Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs, Deschutes National Forest, Natural Resources Conservation Services, Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, Oregon Department of Forestry, Rangeland Fire Protection Associations, Soil and Water Conservation Districts, the Nature Conservancy, and other nonprofit partners.
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