More than a century of fire exclusion has reshaped forests and rangelands across Eastern Oregon. Without regular low-intensity fire, fuels have built up, increasing the risk of larger, more severe wildfires.
Community-led burning supports healthier forests and rangelands, lowers the risk of severe wildfire and protects homes, infrastructure and natural resources.
That risk was amplified in 2024, when about 1.8 million acres burned across the eastside —the most extensive wildfire seasons on record.
At the same time, interest among private landowners in using prescribed fire to reduce fuels and improve ecosystem health has grown. But there are too few trained professionals and contractors to meet that demand.
This gap has limited the ability of landowners and communities to take proactive steps to reduce wildfire risk.
To address this need, Micah Schmidt, a fire specialist for the northeast region for the Oregon State University Extension Service Fire Program, worked with local landowners and partners to develop two prescribed burn associations (PBAs) in northeast and Eastern Oregon.
These community-based groups bring together landowners, agencies and volunteers to plan and carry out prescribed burns.
After months of outreach, training and community engagement, two associations formed in 2025.
The Northeast Oregon Prescribed Burn Association operates in Baker, Umatilla, Union and Wallowa counties. The Southern Blues Prescribed Burn Association operates in Gilliam, Grant, Harney, Morrow and Wheeler counties.
Both groups were developed in partnership with local landowners, fire professionals and supporting organizations and agencies.
Training leads to on-the-ground burns
Both associations completed their first prescribed burns in fall 2025.
The Southern Blues group conducted the first PBA-led burn in Eastern Oregon, treating 120 acres of mixed timber and grass in Grant County. More than 40 people participated, including landowners, volunteers, soil and water conservation districts, Oregon Department of Forestry staff and OSU Extension.
The Northeast Oregon group completed an 8-acre burn in Wallowa County with similar participation, including tribal forestry staff, local fire departments, students and community partners.
These burns provided hands-on training opportunities for people who had not previously participated in prescribed fire.
Interest in prescribed burning has grown following these events, with additional outreach and training underway.
Public value
This work increases local capacity to reduce wildfire risk by helping communities take action on private lands.
By training landowners and volunteers, OSU Extension helps expand the workforce needed to plan and carry out prescribed burns, reducing reliance on limited contractors.
Community-led burning supports healthier forests and rangelands, lowers the risk of severe wildfire and protects homes, infrastructure and natural resources.
These efforts improve the return on public investment by reducing future wildfire costs while strengthening community resilience across Eastern Oregon.