Welcome Spring!

Hello Neighbors!

Happy Springtime in beautiful Central Oregon!

It's that time of year when we all need to start looking around our properties and mapping out what we can do to be more Firewise.

As many of you are already aware, this season is slated to be especially dry because of the mild winter we've had. The Governor has already declared drought conditions for Deschutes County, and it's only April! So, we all need to do our part to insure we are doing everything we can to protect ourselves and our neighbors by continuing to remove debris and fire fuels.

Over the next couple of months, we will be alerting you to a host of resources that you can take advantage of to make sure the property you own in DRRH 6 is clear of flammables and other potential fire hazards. We will be actively recruiting volunteers who can donate a few hours to help clear yard debris and flammables from our common areas, help with filling dumpsters, and assist neighbors who may need a little help from their friends.

Stay tuned to the website for updates, and in the meantime, the Upper Deschutes River Coalition has provided us with some upcoming events and resources that we encourage you to check out. Please mark your calendars and plan to take part in these free events and use the resources that can help make this a fire-free year!

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Low-income Defensible Space Reimbursement Program

The Low-income Senior or Disabled Defensible Space program provides assistance to property owners who cannot do the work themselves or afford to hire someone else to do the work. UDRC has partnered with Council on Aging of Central Oregon to provide free wildfire fuels reduction services for low-income senior or low-income disabled homeowners within the La Pine Rural Fire Protection District. Click here for a printable flyer describing the program. Click here to print the mail-in application form or call UDRC at 541-815-1362 to request an application form.

Applicants for the Low-income Senior or Low-income Disabled Program may not apply for the Reimbursement Program in the same year. UDRC will accept as many qualified applicants as resources allow. A representative from UDRC will assess your property and propose a fuels reduction project to improve your defensible space for a wildfire.

Free Wildfire Preparedness Fairs

Date: Saturday, April 11, 2026, 3:00 pm – 5:00 pm

Location: La Pine High School, 51622 Coach Road, La Pine, ORClick here for a printable flyer

Date: Thursday, April 16, 2026, 12:00 pm – 2:00 pm

Location: SHARC, 57250 Overlook Road, Sunriver, OR

Click here for a printable flyer

The fair is free to attend and will feature giveaways, presentations and tables with important safety information on topics such as:

• Protecting your home before the fire occurs

• Preparing for an evacuation with your family (including pets!)

• Staying healthy when there are high levels of smoke

• Navigating wildfire insurance

• Grant opportunities to help keep you and your neighborhood prepared

For questions and other events, please email Heather Miller, Oregon State Fire Marshal Fire Risk Reduction Specialist.

Fire Preparedness & Your Home Insurance Class

Date: Tuesday, April 14, 2026, 3-4:30 pm.Location: SHARC, 57250 Overlook Road, SunriverClick here to register

Wildfire seasons are getting longer, hotter, and more unpredictable—making preparedness more important than ever. Cheri Martinen, President of Bancorp Insurance in La Pine presents an informative, easy-to-understand class that walks homeowners through practical steps to reduce fire risk and protect what matters most. We’ll cover defensible space basics, home-hardening improvements, evacuation planning, and what your home insurance actually covers during a wildfire event.

Fire Free Yard Debris Disposal Dates

Deschutes County Department of Solid Waste offers a free local collection of yard debris to assist homeowners in creating defensible space for wildfire mitigation. Accepted materials include: Grass clippings, Brush, Plant prunings, Pine needles and pine cones, Weeds, Trimmings and branches, Stumps or trees (no larger than 12” in diameter).

Knott Landfill

61050 SE 27th St, Bend

May 15 – May 24, 7 am – 4:30 pm

SW Transfer Station

54580 Hwy 97, La Pine

June 5 – 6, June 8 – 13, 8 am – 4 pm

Own Your Zone

Wildfires happen naturally in Oregon’s forests. They’ve threatened our community before, and they will again. That’s why we encourage everyone to ‘Own Your Zone’ and help protect homes and neighborhoods by creating defensible space.

Own Your Zone: First Five Feet provides information on simple steps you can take to protect their homes from wildfire. Watch Deputy Fire Marshal Melissa Steele as she walks through a wildfire risk assessment.