The scars left by severe wildfires across Oregon’s forests are not only a reminder of nature’s power but also of the critical need for immediate and decisive action to prevent future disasters.
Dead and dying trees — referred to as snags — pose severe risks to public safety, firefighter effectiveness and long-term forest health. Yet, contrary to claims, post-fire removal of dead and dying trees on state and federal lands is minimal, hindered by relentless litigation that threatens lives, compromises recovery efforts and delays the natural regrowth of our treasured forests.
The 2020 Labor Day wildfires burned more than 1 million acres across Oregon, leaving vast expanses of dead timber in their wake. In federally managed lands alone, approximately 280,000 acres burned at moderate to high severity. Shockingly, less than 3% of these burned areas received treatment to remove snags and mitigate future risks. It doesn’t take much effort to find thousands of dead trees in impacted areas like the Santiam Canyon.