August 02, 2024

Oregon Delegation Pushes for USDA Disaster Declaration, More Federal Resources to Respond to Oregon Wildfires

Washington, D.C. – Oregon’s entire Congressional delegation—U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden, alongside U.S. Representatives Earl Blumenauer, Suzanne Bonamici, Val Hoyle, Andrea Salinas, Lori Chavez-DeRemer, and Cliff Bentz—sent a letter to U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack urging approval of Oregon Governor Tina Kotek’s request for a disaster declaration for Oregon counties facing devastating wildfires. The lawmakers also strongly support the Governor’s additional requests for the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to open up more federal resources targeted to support impacted agricultural communities throughout the state.

“As climate chaos continues to worsen – turning fire seasons into fire years that see millions of acres scorched and countless lives forever changed – we must make sure communities can access the federal resources they need to equitably recover from these increasingly devastating fires,” wrote the lawmakers.

Oregon’s wildfire season has already decimated communities throughout Eastern Oregon, as the state deals with five confirmed “megafires” – the Durkee, Cow Valley, Falls, Lone Rock, and Monkey Creek fires – that have all started in July alone. With approximately 112 fires currently burning across Oregon that have scorched over 1.2 million acres, it is imperative that the USDA continues to build upon the partnerships, collaboration, and respect between the agency fire crews, community leaders, as well as staff and volunteers, as this fire season progresses.

“However, as thick smoke blankets communities and creates hazardous conditions for thousands, our first responders brave these perils and continue to protect and serve their communities,” continued the lawmakers. “Their tireless work battling these fires has helped save countless lives. Moreover, Rangeland Fire Protection Associations (RFPAs) have displayed commendable efforts during this trying time – helping protect their neighbors’ lives and livelihoods to the risk of their own.”

The Oregon delegation is pushing to bring more federal support for these heroes and the agricultural communities they are protecting by backing all three of Governor Kotek’s requests to the USDA:

  1. Issue Secretarial Disaster Designations for Baker, Coos, Crook, Curry, Deschutes, Douglas, Gilliam, Grant, Harney, Hood River, Jackson, Jefferson, Klamath, Lake, Lane, Linn, Malheur, Morrow, Umatilla, Union, Wallowa, Wasco, and Wheeler counties—with the opportunity to add additional counties as the wildfire season continues to worsen.
  2. Grant emergency use authorizations for alternative grazing areas and flexibility in grazing schedules for Oregon’s livestock ranchers. This will help accommodate recovery across National Forest System lands.
  3. Grant emergency waivers for the use of non-certified weed-free forage, such as local forage, should resources necessary for soil stabilization and livestock feeding become strained. 

The lawmakers also support the Governor’s calls for expedited relief for Oregon’s agricultural communities though several USDA programs, including the Emergency Conservation Program, Emergency Assistance for Livestock Program, Farm Storage Facility Loan Program, and Emergency Watershed Protection Program, among many others. These additional federal resources are essential, as there are still several more weeks of a severe wildfire season ahead. Current fires are expected to grow, and new fires are likely to start with no significant precipitation forecasted. Drought intensity is projected to increase throughout the state, elevating the risk that more lightning strikes, as well as human caused ignitions, will spark additional fires.

“Given the harm these fires have caused to both the physical and social infrastructure throughout Oregon, we urge you and your department to ensure the State, Local, and Tribal governments have all the resources they need to help Oregonians recover from these deadly fires,” concluded the lawmakers.

The full text of the Oregon delegation’s letter can be found here and below:

Dear Secretary Vilsack,

We urge you to grant Governor Tina Kotek’s formal requests for multiple USDA Secretarial disaster declarations for areas of Oregon that have already experienced extreme losses this fire season. We strongly advise your department to work with the Governor’s office to ensure State, Local, and Tribal governments have access to all the federal resources available to respond to these deadly fires.

This wildfire season has already decimated communities throughout Eastern Oregon, as our state deals with five confirmed “megafires” – the Durkee, Cow Valley, Falls, Lone Rock, and Monkey Creek fires – that have all started in July alone. With approximately 113 fires currently burning across Oregon that have scorched over 1.2 million acres, it is imperative that your department continues to build upon the partnerships, collaboration, and respect between the agency fire crews, community leaders, as well as staff and volunteers, as this fire season progresses.

However, as thick smoke blankets communities and creates hazardous conditions for thousands, our first responders brave these perils and continue to protect and serve their communities. Their tireless work battling these fires has helped save countless lives. Moreover, Rangeland Fire Protection Associations (RFPAs) have displayed commendable efforts during this trying time – helping protect their neighbors’ lives and livelihoods to the risk of their own.

As climate chaos continues to worsen – turning fire seasons into fire years that see millions of acres scorched and countless lives forever changed – we must make sure communities can access the federal resources they need to equitably recover from these increasingly devastating fires.

There are still several more weeks of a severe wildfire season ahead of us. Current fires are expected to grow, and new fires are likely to start with no significant precipitation forecasted. Drought intensity is projected to increase throughout the state, elevating the risk that more lightning strikes, as well as human caused ignitions, will spark additional fires.

Given the harm these fires have caused to both the physical and social infrastructure throughout Oregon, we urge you and your department to ensure the State, Local, and Tribal governments have all the resources they need to help Oregonians recover from these deadly fires.

Sincerely,

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