These reports are issues from time to time, after each meeting, etc
Status: FEB 13, 2025 - Notes from Firewise Leadership Zoom meeting
Park Bureau’s “Protect the Best” program is now one year old. They have done a lot of Fuel Mitigation events, and are a great Firewise Partner.
A potential FEMA Grant application is requiring more information on ecological and specific locations. Kim Kosmas continues to work on this. Southwest Firewise Communities are second on the list, after the locations most vulnerable to wildfire.
(There may be $400K to remove invasives on properties that have had assessments.)
The new Wildfire Coordinator position, under the PFR Special Operations, will focus on emergency operations and prevention at all levels. There are three candidates. It is a permanent position and is funded. Ralph Brooks (Forest Park South) suggested we send out letter advocating for this position and funding.
A Wildfire Workshop is scheduled for May 1st at the Grange. One of the sponsors is West Multnomah water and conservation. It is a full day of education featuring, home hardening, plants, fuel etc. Announcements/invitations will go out in March.
A Firewise Resistance Gathering with demonstrations is scheduled for February 22 in Oregon City. Announcements should be sent out.
Red reflectors on Skyline Blvd will align with fire responders’ access points into Forest Park. Signs will be placed on paths to mark turn-around places for their rigs.
Fire Resistant tarps and Flame Retardant Biogel (short term) coatings are not recommended because of cost and the time it takes to apply. You will have a lot to do before evacuation instead of this. Fire resistant tarps could be put on woodpiles away from house before the emergency.
Goats!!! are the premier invasive underbrush (ivy, brambles) clearer-outer, but they can’t eat clematis. Clematis has to be treated. We need to find a goat herd and a goat contractor (not a volunteer).
There was a huge uptick of home assessment applications during and after the California fires! PF&R is scheduling into April. Keep em coming!
The Firewise Community Program website has been updated.
It is easier to understand. Collins View Firewise Community web page link is listed on this website.
[LINK].
The Block Captains and “Teams” concept for Firewise Communities was discussed.
The next Firewise Leadership Zoom meeting is scheduled for 7:00 PM, March 13.
Status: OCT 2024 - Highlights from the Firewise Communities Leadership Meeting
Kim Kosmas, PF&R presiding, 10/17/2024. This was a first-of-a-kind meeting!
Portland Fire & and Rescue recommends ⅛” screen for household vents — you can consider using smaller screening - just check it seasonally for accumulation of fuzzy material.
Two New Firewise Communities!
The eighth FW Community is Overlook, the first Community on Portland’s East Side.
The ninth is Governors Park, in Southwest Portland.
The tenth, COMING SOON this year, is Orchard Lane HOA in the Garden Home. YaY!
Other Events, efforts, and updates
FUEL MITIGATION EVENTS throughout FW communities were staffed by many many energetic volunteers. These FW Communities are working with habitat contractors and Cornell Farms (Debbie) for native plant information and access. Grant applications for debris pick up were discussed.
CLEAN UP EVENTS are a good way to generate engagement and participation.
Firewise PF&R has been in communication with TEAM RUBICON to be involved in Portland’s Firewise fuel mitigation efforts. Team Rubicon is an awesome volunteer organization comprising veterans and retired first responders.
TEAM RUBICON
PF&R has been working with the Parks Bureau and PBOT on Firewise projects. Parks has done a few Ivy Pulls and spraying in River View Natural Area, but no work has been done on major downed trees, limbs or debris. Bikers and unleashed dogs are an ongoing problem. This seems to be the case throughout the city’s natural areas and parks.
UNSANCTIONED CAMPING and aggressive campers is an ongoing problem. PF&R is working with other Bureaus to enforce the city policy on unsanctioned camping.
NEW FUEL MITIGATION PARTNERSHIP “Protect the Best” deals with removing ladder fuels from trees and invasives within the Park Bureau properties. Protect the Best. PF&R is working with them to coordinate future volunteer fuel mitigation events within the Parks located in Firewise Communities.
LINK: Protect the Best.
FIREWISE LAWN SIGNS BY PORTLAND FIRE & RESCUE will be ready in November. Kim will send out email when they are available for pickup. This has been a proven way to engage folks in wildfire preparedness and to harden their homes against fire. The QR code provides a path to information, makes it easy to apply for Firewise home assessment.
Status: FEB 2024 - FIREWISE: NETS ROLE IN COMMUNITY EDUCATION AND EVACUATION
Kim Kosmas, PF&R: Presenter for PBEM, Zoom Meeting February 7, 2024.
THE RISK OF URBAN INTERFACE WILDFIRES
Wildfires normally occur and were managed by nature for hundreds of years, but people are moving into the urban/wildlands interface and are changing that dynamic.
1,221,324 acres burned in 2020, the worst wildfire season on record.
Weather is the most unpredictable factor
Topography affects the intensity, burn rate and direction of fire spread.
Fuels built up over years increase fires’ spread and intensity.
Unsanctioned camping in Natural Areas is a huge challenge.
50% of fires are caused by houseless camping.
Report Houseless camping using the One Point of Contact Campsite Reporting System.
PDX Reporter. Select the "Campsite Reporting" icon
For general questions, call City/County information / referral at 311.
IF YOU SEE A FIRE CALL 911
PORTLAND HAZARD CATEGORY ZONES on Portland Maps includes wildfire hazards dictated by topography and vegetation
[Portland Maps LINK].
Enter your address and go to “Hazards” (Right Hand Column) to see the hazard risks specific to your location.
“Ready Set Go!” GO EARLY! Do not tough it out. If you are advised to leave, leave at Level #1 or Level #2. Do not wait. Be the first car out.
READY SET GO! PDF
Check with your neighbors ahead of time. Encourage them to evacuate. Car Pool.
With limited roads into and out of our neighborhoods egress is challenging.
CAR POOL! Fewer cars === Less traffic.
There are NO strategies for traffic behavior during evacuation, other than avoiding blocked roads.
NETs will NOT be directing Traffic.
Safety demands that NETs evacuate, not stay around to “help”.
NETs’ role is to raise awareness and preparedness for emergencies of all kinds.
This includes Ice and Wind Storms, Earthquakes, Urban Interface Wildfires, Evacuation checklists and supplies. Communication with neighbors is key.
Status: Dec 2023 - Zoom Meeting with Zac Peal of Forest Park Conservancy
Collins View FireWise (CVFW) was contacted by Zac Peal...
CVFW ask Kim Kosmas to co-ordinate.
Kim set up a zoom for Dec 5th, 2023.
Forest Park Conservancy Logo
In attendance: Kim Kosmas PP&R, Maryellen Read, Fran Laird, John Miller (all CV); Ralph Cohen (MP), Mike & Vicki McNamara (WPP).
Kim Kosmas's Notes
Zac Peal is planning to meet with neighborhood groups and focus on specific areas that abut or are close to natural areas.
Zac would also like to meet with the neighborhood groups to focus on specific areas within neighborhoods.
Connect with Lewis & Clark on this.
Discussed possibly conducting outreach for workshops.
Discussed conducting specific outreach in neighborhoods that border natural areas.
Create articles about programs in local newsletters.
Discussed possibly creating lawn signs about the programs and where to sign up. (Firewise & Canopy Weeds Prog.)
Engage more NET team members to participate.
Ralph Cohen will canvass in Marshall Park in the Spring
Mike & Vicki McNamara will conduct outreach in W. Portland Park
John Miller will create articles on work that's been done by Firewise community members
Focus on Riverview Natural area - Maryellen & Fran involved with stewardship.
Kim will connect with Zac and Marshall Johnson about planning for fuel mitigation events
Kim will reach out to cemeteries to discuss defensible space and reduction of invasives on boundaries
Ralph Cohen's statement
Ralph says he is willing to Canvas, but realistically feels like people are complacent -- it will take a local firestorm like what happened in Lahina or southern Oregon to shake people up to the danger.
John Miller's Notes
John listed a number of aspects unique to Collins View Firewise environment.
FoRVNA == Friends of River View Natural Area.
FoRVNA has the stewardship agreement for RVNA with PP&R.
Issues: Homeless camping, some dog walkers, MTB's, Illegal dumping.
Maybe Zac could visit RVNA in 2024? Main points listed below...
WWRP - FoRVNA is a member of WWRP - West Willamette Restoration Partnership. Next meeting is December 19th at OHSU. John will attend in person.
Other neighboring green spaces are:
Tryon Creek St Natural Area,
Lewis & Clark College,
Marshall Park,
multiple Cemeteries.
John gave an unofficial Collins View Firewise report.
We did a series of 13? Tips of the Week and shared on NextDoor
CVFW did a trial run of Vegetation Pickup that was made available to those having done a WUI Assessment.
Our two Firewise Community signs are still up and clean.
Zac: Small grants available (from State?) FP Conservancy has services to offer?
FPC has a crew that can work on private Properties.
Kim asked what we thought about a Lawn sign idea - with QR code - for those who have had Assessments. John suggested we have stories on Assessments -- how have people acted on them? This would be a good feature for website / Nextdoor. IE -- Followup -- Before / After assessments.
Kim asked What about a "This is a Wildfire Hazard Zone" sign similar to Tsunami Zone type sign.
Kim says USAA Insurance Co has a discount for FW Communities.
Kim asked what about a "Class" / Demo about FW Principles -- Workshops.
Maybe around Earth Day?
Try to engage different kinds of people - eg Thursday AM people are different from afternoon or evening folks.
Kim noted that people can remove ladder fuels Now, in winter. Good time to do that!
John will try to add Links to other programs communities, etc, on CV Firewise site.
On Beth Israel Cemetery,
John was thinking during meeting that the mess of blackberries and holly along Boones Ferry Road would be a good project for fuel reduction. Cutting that back would be a VERY VISIBLE project. But on the other side of hedge there is just wide open cemetery landscaping - not a wildfire hazard, so there are probably better projects. However, should the holly hedge along Lobelia (Undeveloped RoW) catch on fire, it could burn up to 5th, and to Terwilliger like a fuse. Such a fire could jump across Terwilliger at Lobelia. Noted here to suggest a review in 2024.
Maryellen Read's Notes
Maryellen's mission is to get CVNET more actively involved with FireWise.
Status: Our Firewise signs are up! (Spring 2023)
This one is on Primrose, where it meets Boones Ferry Road, a fairly high traffic location for residents.
Collins View Firewise Community sign at Primrose and Boones Ferry
The other sign is on a pole next to the roundabout at Terwilliger & Palater Road.
Firewise Zoom Meeting / June 23 2023
A Zoom Meeting with Kim Kosmas and residents was held Friday, June 23.
Kim, our Public Education Officer,
reported that Collins View has had 35 Wildland Urban Interface (WUI) home assessments!
Marshall Park is coming along nicely too.
A Firewise Fuel Reduction option is coming up
Portland Fire & Rescue
has funds that were provided by the State Fire Marshal’s Office for vegetation debris pickup services. These funds need to be used by the end of 2023.
A Home needs to have had an assessment to be eligible for the free pickup.
Here's the general idea — Homeowners will be
removing dead limbs, downed limbs, and other vegetation for the debris pickup day.
They could stage into islands of fuel away from any structures. At some point, home owners will move these materials to the side of the road for pickup. Volunteers may be involved.
Details about the pickup service are to be communicated over the summer.
(Boards with nails and chemically treated wood products will very likely be excluded! Not sure about old 2x4's.) For now, assume "Clean Green", or rather "Clean Brown" only.
Our next meeting may focus on planning for another fuel mitigation event for the Collins View Firewise community.
Other Items Covered in the Meeting...
Kim reported on a growing network of 'Fire Cameras' located on towers (other high places) that can triangulate location of a fire -- FireWatch 24x7.
Stations can get the info and be on their way before calls even come in.
Status / December 2022
Collins View Firewise Community Certificate Issued December 7, 2022.
We received notice that Collins View is now officially Portland’s sixth Firewise Community. We are Good to Go throughout 2023!
Status / October 2022
The proposed boundary for the CV FW community has shrunk to just Collins View. Other folks (Marshal Park, Riverdale, et al) will be in their own communities.
PP&R conducted a walk-though of nine(ish) CV properties on 8/25 for the purpose of gathering data for an application.
The report is being drafted for the National Firewise folks.. We will review / share / summarize that report when the draft is complete.
REMEMBER - you can do a SELF ASSESSMENT, and/or have a duo of bonafide experts visit. See the Sign Up section below.
Status / August 2022
Over 40 properties in our area have had a "Wildland Urban Interface (WUI) Home Assessment" done by Portland Fire and Rescue (PF&R) education officers who have visited properties and given a standard report with written suggestions. Folks have been pleased with their reports. Ideally, many more will have such assessments (or do serious self-assessments).
See below for sign up instructions.
While these assessments have been going on, several educational meetings have been attended by self-selected interested property owners. (Most have had or scheduled a WUI Assessment.)
On August 25th, 2022, PF&R is doing a "Community Assessment" — profiling eight selected properties to illustrate various situations that exist in our community. They will use that survey, including representative photos, to draft a report to be reviewed by our ad hoc advisory committee (attendees of the educational meetings). Once reviewed and revised by the committee, PP&R will submit to the national Firewise HQ.
Once the proposal for a FW community is accepted, a community board will be chartered and comprised that can oversee the community efforts:
Developing a multi-faceted plan with all parties (Parks, Cemeteries, College, ...), reviewed annually.
Organizing volunteer events - eg Spring cleanup, fuel reduction work in communal areas, and so on.
Encourage more folk to request a WUI Assessment of their property, or to self-assess.
Applying for grants for applicable projects - larger projects.
an so on... based on many factors in our community.
Note: The actual properties in the Community Assessment Report will not be identified, and photos won't have any recognizable property features.
Status / Going Forward!
This is a long term project! We are just starting a marathon.
In the meantime, let's all focus on cleaning up our properties, and work toward having our individual Firewise assessments this summer. This page will be kept current and be supplemented with more details as time goes on. Many details to be added. The Plan will be reviewed annually.
