For Immediate Release
Date: April 27, 2021
Contact: Katie Gibble - katie.gibble@ashland.or.us (541) 552-2231
City of Ashland Wildfire Safety Campaign
May: Firewise Your Landscape!
The Almeda Fire created the impression that such fires are unstoppable, but if we all pull together as a community we can make our town dramatically safer against an Almeda Fire threat. Join us and your neighbors to prepare for the upcoming wildfire season by participating in the second month of the four-month Wildfire Safety Campaign sponsored by Ashland Fire & Rescue and the City’s Wildfire Safety Commission.
May’s theme is
Firewise Your Landscape. During a wildfire, falling embers are a major cause of ignitions in your yard and garden. It is important that these embers do not find a place to land where they can ignite and spread through the landscaping around your home and property like it did during the Almeda Fire. Many of the actions you can take to prepare your landscaping for wildfire are inexpensive and achievable, and if we collectively take action we will greatly reduce the ability of wildfire to spread through our neighborhoods and community. We can do this!
What can you do this month?
Gather your green debris for Ashland’s 10th Annual Green Debris Drop Off Day, May 2nd! Load your vehicle with flammable yard debris and drop it off for free at Valley View Transfer Station on Sunday, May 2nd. The Transfer Station will be open from 8:30AM - 3:30PM to collect your flammable green debris like branches, leaves, needles, juniper, arborvitae, and mugo pine.This event is available to Ashland residents only, so be prepared to show proof of Ashland residence upon arrival. Visit
ashland.or.us/greendebris for details about the event.
Apply to receive a green debris bin for your neighborhood: Does your neighborhood have flammable vegetation growing close to homes? Get together with your block or your neighborhood to apply for a green debris bin! There are still a few bins available to fill up with cuttings of flammable vegetation like juniper, arborvitae and mugo pine. Apply for a bin at
fireadaptedashland.org/wildfireprep and click on “Apply to get a Green Debris Bin”.
Tune in for Ashland’s Wildfire Webinar Series, starting May 6th. There is a lot the fire department can tell you about how to prepare for wildfire. But there is a lot you can learn from your neighbors too. Tune in to Ashland’s 3 month webinar series: each webinar will open with stories of Ashland residents sharing their experiences with fire. Stories were recorded live in March 2021 at the Ashland Library. Following these stories, we will educate listeners on what you need to do to be prepared for various facets of wildfire. Sign up for the webinar series at
ashland.or.us/wildfirewebinars
Information about the Wildfire Preparedness Campaign can be found at fireadaptedashland.org/wildfireprep and is also on display at local stores and the Tuesday Farmer’s Market in Ashland.
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