Wildfires are increasingly impacting agricultural lands in Eastern Oregon due to a changing climate, invasive annual grasses and evolving farming practices. Dryland wheat producers have adopted no-till systems to reduce erosion and improve yields but added crop residue can increase wildfire fuel loads and make fires harder to control.
By delivering agriculture-specific wildfire training and building partnerships across agencies, OSU Extension is helping farmers and rural landowners reduce wildfire risk and protect their operations.
In 2018, nearly 120,000 acres of dryland wheat and rangeland burned in Wasco and Sherman counties. The Substation Fire alone burned 80,000 acres and resulted in a fatality.
In response, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) introduced wildfire training requirements in Oregon in 2019 for employers and workers involved in fire suppression. These include documented emergency plans and annual training, but initially few agriculture-specific resources were available.
Wildfires have continued to affect agricultural and rural communities in North Central Oregon each year since 2018, with increasing intensity and damage to crops, livestock and infrastructure. Many existing preparedness strategies focus on forested or urban areas and do not fully address the needs of working farms and rangelands.
To meet this need, Jacob Powell, an Oregon State University Extension Service crops and livestock faculty member with wildfire expertise, developed training tailored to agricultural operations.
In 2023, Powell created two on-demand courses through Oregon State’s Professional and Continuing Education unit: Wildfire Preparedness in Agriculture and Agricultural Wildfire Behavior and Suppression. These courses help producers and employees meet Oregon OSHA requirements while building practical skills.
The curriculum covers wildfire risk in agricultural landscapes, emergency planning, equipment safety, defensible space, livestock evacuation and safe suppression practices while awaiting fire crews.
In 2025, 27 participants completed the online courses. Powell also continued offering in-person trainings and presentations focused on defensible space and wildfire behavior in agricultural and rangeland settings.
Expanding outreach and partnerships
Powell’s outreach in 2025 reached 92 participants through trainings and presentations. He also taught a wildfire defensible space session during annual training for Master Gardener volunteers, reaching 40 participants.
Through partnerships with the Sherman County Natural Resource Conservation Service, Sherman County Soil and Water Conservation District and the Oregon State Fire Marshal, Powell contributed to the Catastrophic Wildfire Prevention Program in Sherman County. This effort helps wheat producers access federal funding to improve defensible space and establish fuel breaks across the landscape.
At a 2025 meeting for the program, Powell’s presentation reached 25 agricultural producers. As a result of his outreach and technical assistance, five producers moved forward with creating fuel breaks on their operations.
Supporting on-the-ground changes
Trainings are leading to measurable changes in how producers and landowners manage wildfire risk. Among survey respondents, most reported plans to adopt new practices, including improving defensible space and modifying vegetation to reduce fire risk.
Participants also reported increased understanding of how vegetation affects fuel moisture, fire behavior and the spread of fire to structures. Others said they planned to adjust wildfire response strategies and take additional preparedness steps on their operations.
In total, reported investments in preparedness and fuel reduction from training participants are estimated at about $50,000.
Using a conservative estimate that every $1 spent on wildfire preparedness can save $35 in damages, these actions could represent approximately $1.75 million in avoided losses.
Public value
By delivering agriculture-specific wildfire training and building partnerships across agencies, OSU Extension is helping farmers and rural landowners reduce wildfire risk and protect their operations.
Improved preparedness supports safer working conditions, reduces potential economic losses and strengthens the resilience of agricultural communities in Eastern Oregon.