Study Site:
Thurston Hills Natural Area Aerial Photo
Our project focused on monitoring fuels and vegetation characteristics in the Thurston Hills Natural Area in Springfield, Oregon (THNA). The THNA site is at an Urban Wildlife Interface (WUI), where wilderness and vegetative fuels meet human development. The data we collected will help inform fire management for Willamalane, our community partner on this project. “Reducing the long-term risk to people, property, and critical infrastructure from wildfire hazards and catastrophic wildfires,” is one of the stated goals of the fuels reduction plans implemented in Thurston Hills (U.S. DOI, 2016).
Native Americans managed oak and prairie ecosystems for thousands of years in the North West prior to settler colonialism. The diversity and stability of prairie and oak ecosystems were dependent on and sustained by fire, whether that be from prescribed burns or other forms of ignition. Historical wildfire suppression management practices imposed by settler colonialism have led to present-day encroachment from conifers and other species, a decrease in oak species, and fuel buildups in the understory of forests. The continuous fuel suppression leads to an accumulation of fuel over time, posing a significant hazard. This accumulated fuel build-up is extremely hazardous as it can greatly increase the severity of fires by providing additional fuel for continued burning.
As climate change continues to exacerbate the frequency and size of fires by creating warmer and drier conditions, management solutions will be crucial in reducing the fuel load at strategic points in the THNA. Therefore, monitoring fuel loads and vegetation characteristics is imperative for protecting nearby residents from the threat of future fires reaching their homes.