Get ready to take action with the Better Prepared Wildfire Series  

By Sabrina Cotta

It’s more important than ever to be proactive and prepared when it comes to wildfire. We’re excited to present the Better Prepared Wildfire Series, a unique opportunity to gain the skills and strategies to safeguard your home, loved ones and the community. 

This series is a collaboration of Ashland.news, Ashland Climate Collaborative, Ashland Together and the city of Ashland. We are working together to help you take action now and build resilience before disaster strikes.

Through workshops that will include practical tips and collaborative discussions, you’ll gain the knowledge you need to reduce wildfire risks and build resilience. The time to act is now. Don’t wait for a crisis to strike! Be part of a community that is committed to being better together.

 What can you expect from this series: 

• Wildfire preparedness tools
• An opportunity to help shape the future of Ashland as a fire-adapted community 
• Tips on making your home and property more wildfire-resistant
• Guidance on developing and practicing your evacuation plan

Here’s the lineup of events:

Preparing family and community

Wildfire Preparedness: 6 to 8 p.m. Monday, April 21, at Carpenter Hall, 44 S. Pioneer St. Hosted by the city of Ashland. Learn essential steps to prepare for wildfire season, such as understanding the elements of home hardening and defensible space, emergency alerts, and evacuation preparedness and practice. This workshop will equip you with the knowledge and tools to keep your household, neighborhood and business safer when fire danger rises.

Empowering community 

Ashland Wildfire Protection Plan Open House: 2 to 5 p.m. Sunday, May 4, at the Grove, 1195 E. Main St. Hosted by the city of Ashland. Join your neighbors in shaping Ashland’s Community Wildfire Protection Plan. This is a community effort — your insights, questions and ideas are essential to making Ashland a fire-adapted community. Connect with wildfire experts, city officials and fellow residents and business owners as we work together to build a stronger, more resilient Ashland. We really are better together!

Now is the time! 

Protect Your Home and Yard: 6 to 8 p.m. Wednesday, May 14, via Zoom. Hosted by Ashland.news. Join us for an engaging virtual workshop where you’ll gain the knowledge to make informed choices about reducing wildfire risks to your home and yard. Using your submitted photos and questions, we’ll explore practical, science-backed strategies to help you make your property more wildfire-resistant. Now is the time to improve your home’s safety and strengthen community resilience.

When every second counts: Evacuation planning and practice

What’s Your Plan? 6 to 8 p.m. Wednesday, July 16, at the Ashland Historic Armory, 206 Oak St. Hosted by Ashland.news. This interactive event will walk you through what to do before, during and after an evacuation. Learn how to prepare yourself and others by creating and practicing an evacuation plan, go bags, plan multiple escape routes and practice real-world scenarios to ensure you are ready to act quickly when wildfire threatens.

Let’s get prepared, Ashland! Join us this spring and summer to build a safer, more resilient community. Registration is open. Updates and information on supporting programs at  ashlandoregon.gov/BetterPreparedSeries.

Wildfire Awareness Month

Did you know that May is Wildfire Awareness Month? It’s a great time to review your emergency preparedness plan. Be sure to:

• Know your evacuation zones and levels.
• Have a go bag packed.
• Sign up for emergency alerts (The emergency alert system for Ashland has been renamed Jackson Alerts. Here’s what you need to know.)

Upcoming free events and programs

• Green Debris Day on Sunday, May 4, with Recology Ashland.
• Spring Clean-up Day on Sunday, May 18, with Recology Ashland. 
• Sparking Action,  a community gathering at ScienceWorks for celebrating our forests and community wildfire preparedness, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. May 10.
• DIY air filter classes offered this spring
  • ScienceWorks clean air and disaster preparedness workshop. We will have fun activities for kids and families are encouraged to attend with their little ones as well as adults of all ages. Please register ahead for the workshop, from 2 to 3 p.m. Saturday, May 10.
  • Ashland Senior Center cleaner air class, 1 to 2 p.m. Monday, May 19. Call 541-488-5382 to register. Space is limited.
• Our weed abatement program. Take action and make a plan to have your grass and weeds cut. Enforcement begins in May. 

Sabrina Cotta is the city manager of Ashland. She can be contacted at Citymanageroffice@ashlandoregon.gov. 

Email letters to the editor and Viewpoint submissions to news@ashland.news.