Ashland News: ScienceWorks to Host Sparking Action! Community Wildfire Education Day

Families in Southern Oregon gathered at ScienceWorks Hands-On Museum for a day of learning and fun at the “Sparking Action! Community Wildfire Education Day” hosted by the Southern Oregon Forest Restoration Collaborative (SOFRC). The event featured live fire demonstrations, DIY air filter workshops, Indigenous traditional ecological knowledge basket weaving, photos with Smokey the Bear, and storytelling.

One of the highlights of the event was a live fire demonstration, where attendees got to see firsthand how forest density can impact the behavior of fires. Asher Elias, a 12-year-old student at Ashland Middle School, was fascinated by the demonstration, noting how dense forests can lead to intense wildfires.

The event also focused on the importance of reducing fuels in the forest to prevent catastrophic wildfires. Sara Jones, the community engagement coordinator for the Ashland Forest Resiliency (AFR) project, emphasized the use of prescribed fires as a tool to reduce fire risk and introduce natural processes that have been suppressed for years.

Youth were at the center of the event, with a curriculum based on fire ecology being taught in schools throughout Jackson and Josephine counties. Students from Armadillo Community Charter School in Phoenix presented their work on identifying local fire hazards and coming up with solutions.

Overall, the event aimed to educate families on wildfire safety and the traditional ecological knowledge of Indigenous peoples. Partners from various organizations, including Ashland Fire & Rescue and the Lomakatsi Restoration Project, came together to make the event a success. It was a day of learning, empowerment, and community engagement for all who attended.