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February 2010
Dear Keep Oregon
Green Supporters:
It’s that time again
- the Keep Oregon Green Association (KOG) is seeking your support to keep
our Wildfire Prevention messages on the radio and television, in the
newspapers, and on the roadside bill boards.
The 10-year averages are 734 human-caused wildfires, 12,688 acres burned
and $ 8.2 million in suppression costs.
Last year, 748 fires burned over 12,000 acres for a cost of $7.9
million.
This fire year 665 wildfires destroyed over 14,000 acres
and cost over $9.2 million to suppress.
Our
prevention efforts are working!
While the cost was up
(what isn’t these days?), the numbers of fires are decreasing.
Remember, one big fire can really skew the statistics.
District foresters
have told me that there have been many more forest visitors this year,
another fact we are seeing that is a result of the economy. There was an
increase in abandoned or unattended campfires, however, so we will be
joining our partners in a statewide campaign later this year.
We were able to
install that roof on our building at the State Fair grounds as we
mentioned last year. The cost of the roof was over $17,000. Due to
great work by my assistant who found partners to help defray the costs,
KOG was responsible for only $4,900. We now have a beautiful aluminum
roof that meets the requirements for those living in the wildland/urban
interface.
We’re also proud of
the additional 166 KOG road signs that are being installed by 15 of
Oregon’s counties. This makes 262 road signs on interstate, state, and
county roads.
By the way, we now
have over 1000 kids registered for our KOG Ranger Program. Many schools
are now participating, and we anticipate even more after I give a
presentation at the Oregon Science Teachers’ Conference this fall. If we
had more money, we would advertise it 7 days a week, 24 hours a day!
We beseech you to do
everything you can to help us keep up this important work. There are
always those who say “I’ve been burning like this for 60 years and
nothing has ever happened.” They’re often the same ones whose careless
actions result in Oregon’s next wildfires. Please help us get through to
these types. Help us continue preaching the messages and educating the
public to change those types of behaviors into safe ones.
In fire and life
safety,
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Mary Ellen Holly |
