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With wildfire season on the horizon, fire officials urge homeowners to create defensible space

Andy Nelson/Register-Guard/Pool
Fire officials urge homeowners to create a "defensible space" around their house. This is a file photo from the 2020 Holiday Farm Fire in Blue River, east of Springfield.

Now that it’s May, wildfire season is just around the corner in much of Oregon. State fire officials say it’s a good time of year to take steps to reduce the chance of fires affecting your home.

That can include clearing roofs and gutters of dead leaves and other debris, moving flammable material away from exterior walls, and reducing vegetation from underneath trees to help keep fire from spreading into the upper branches.

“If we can control what happens right around our home, right in our home ignition zone, it can really increase the chance of our home surviving a wildfire," said Alison Green with the Oregon Fire Marshal’s office.

Fire officials also encourage people living in fire-prone areas to consider growingfire-resistant plants around their homes.

Chris Lehman has been reporting on Oregon issues since 2006. He joined the KLCC news department in December 2018 and became News Director in March 2023. Chris was born and raised in Pennsylvania, and graduated from Temple University with a degree in journalism. His public broadcasting career includes stops in Louisiana and Illinois. Chris has filed for national programs including “Morning Edition” and “All Things Considered.”