The U.S. Bureau of Land Management recently announced the opening of Oregon forest lands damaged by the 2020 Labor Day fires.
BLM crews worked diligently to improve the safety of the fire-damaged area east of Springfield, according to a BLM news release. They have removed weakened, dead and dying trees along the gravel portions of Goodpasture Road and Mt. Hagen Road, which are now open to the public. Those lands reopened to the public April 28.
"While we're happy to be lifting these closures, there are still many hazards that remain in the burned areas. When returning to enjoy these areas, please be aware of your surroundings, especially when walking or parking in areas with fire weakened trees.” BLM Northwest Oregon Manager Dennis Teitzel said in the release.
According to an article posted March 10, 2021, the 2020 fire season was catastrophic. Oregon alone counted for 1.2 million acres, more than 3,000 structures and 11 lives. In early September 2020, five fires on the western side of the Cascades exploded due to several contributing factors, burning almost 850,000 acres in what is referred to as the Oregon Labor Day Fires.
In light of 2020’s historic fire season, the Oregon Forest Resources Institute commissioned a study examining how the Oregon forest sector, the portion of the state economy that’s reliant on forests, was affected. The 2020 Labor Day Fires – Economic Impacts to Oregon's Forest Sector summary report covers the key findings of the full 2020 Labor Day Fires report.
The trial in a $1.6 billion class action lawsuit over these fires started in Portland, Ore., April 25, according to Los Angeles Times.
"PacifiCorp is the primary defendant in litigation stemming from the fires, the Oregonian/OregonLive reported," according to Los Angeles Times. "The Portland-based utility, Oregon’s second largest, didn’t shut off power to its 600,000 customers during the windstorm."
This led to its lines being implicated in several of the blazes, including one that started in its California service territory and burned into Oregon, the Los Angeles Times report said.
"Jurors in the Multnomah County trial will determine PacifiCorp’s responsibility, if any, in four of those blazes: the Santiam Canyon fires east of Salem; the Echo Mountain Complex near Lincoln City; the South Obenchain fire near Eagle Point; and the Two Four Two fire near the southwest Oregon town of Chiloquin," reported Los Angeles Times.
The devastating Labor Day fires of 2020 have had long-lasting economic and environmental impacts on Oregon. As the trial for the class action lawsuit against PacifiCorp continues, the state and its residents are still dealing with the aftermath of one of the worst wildfire seasons on record.
