Jillian Fortner
(Update: adding video, comments from Bend Mayor Kebler, Redmond City Councilor Osborne, state Senator Broadman)
BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — Local and state leaders say wildfire seasons are lasting longer across Central Oregon, and the threat is only growing.
On Thursday, officials met in Bend to discuss how to better protect homes and communities from increasingly severe fire seasons.
Bend Mayor Melanie Kebler reflected on how much conditions have changed.
“When I grew up, I can’t remember a time where there was enough smoke that I couldn’t play outside for days at a time,” Kebler said.
Leaders pointed to the more than 23,000-acre Flat Fire near Sisters as a reminder of how fast wildfires can spread into nearby neighborhoods. Kebler said cooperation among agencies helped keep that fire from spreading even further.
“It was an incredible collaboration effort between the state to fight the fire, but also really good work on mitigation,” Kebler said.
Officials also highlighted the future CORE3 Emergency Training Center in Redmond as a key step in strengthening local response to disasters.
“CORE3 is a very exciting initiative that really is a symbol of Central Oregon coming together and working to be resilient in natural disasters,” said Oregon Sen. Anthony Broadman.
Redmond City Councilor Kathryn Osborne said the facility will help train first responders and the next generation of public safety professionals.
“It’s going to allow us to have training locally for our police and our fire,” Osborne said. “It also acts as a way to train our future workforce.”
While CORE3 focuses on coordination and training, Osborne said preparedness must also start at home.
“Make sure you have a plan,” if a fire occurs while children are in school or home and parents haven’t gotten back yet,” Osborne said. “That’s something we saw during the Euston Fire.”
Oregon is receiving more than $28 million in federal funding for six wildfire prevention projects statewide.
Leaders say consistent funding and long-term policy support remain critical as fire risks rise.
Kebler said, “We need policies to reflect the reality that climate change is real, it’s here, and it’s something we all need to work together to fight.”
Here’s a news release sent out after the discussion by the event organizers, the Climate Action Campaign:
As the 2025 wildfire season ends, leaders are calling for immediate federal action to address climate change and reduce fire risk before the next season begins. The Flat Fire near Sisters—along with other recent wildfires in the region—illustrates the escalating danger to Oregon’s forests, homes, and communities as longer fire seasons and extreme weather intensify.
With climate change adding to the frequency and strength of wildfires and related flooding, the issue is becoming an increasing threat to Deschutes County and areas across the state and nation.
Speakers highlighted how federal funding cuts to the U.S. Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management are hampering efforts to prevent and fight fires, and how proposals to roll back key federal climate policies, such as the EPA’s Endangerment Finding, would worsen wildfire risk by accelerating climate change.
Mayor Melanie Kebler, City of Bend, spoke on the urgent need for federal policies that address the climate crisis driving wildfire risk.
“Every year, we’re seeing fires start earlier, burn longer, and come closer to where people live and work. Bend is doing our part—investing in prevention and preparedness—but we can’t adapt to climate change alone,” said Mayor Kebler. “Federal and state leaders must protect the programs and climate policies that address the root causes of these disasters and help communities like ours build long-term resilience.”
Sen. Anthony Broadman, Oregon State Senate (District 27), addressed the need for strong partnership and sustained investment in wildfire prevention.
“My district includes Sisters, which was threatened by the Flat Fire this summer. That was a stark reminder that every season puts Central Oregon communities at risk,” said Sen. Broadman. “The state Legislature made important progress in 2025 to fund prevention and management, but there’s more work to do. We need consistent, long-term support from our federal partners to match the sheer scale of the challenge ahead.”
Ben Gordon, Executive Director of Central Oregon LandWatch, emphasized the importance of partnership and sustained federal support.
“We’re working hand in hand with federal, state, and local partners to reduce wildfire risk and protect Central Oregon’s natural spaces,” said Gordon. “But recent federal cuts and agency layoffs are making that critical work much harder. We stand with Oregon’s congressional delegation and in-state partners in urging the federal government to reverse course and fulfill its responsibility to invest in prevention before it’s too late.”
Bob Madden, Former Operations Chief, Bend Fire & Rescue, spoke to the increased danger of fire in recent years.
“Over my many years in this profession, I’ve seen fire behavior become more extreme due the hotter temperatures and drier fuels that climate change is contributing to,” said Madden. “What this leads to, especially in our forests west of the Cascades, are frequent and larger west side fires that are difficult to contain, due to the heavy timber fuels and steep terrain. On top of that, toxic smoke from a fire in a specific area can impact the entire Northwest.”
Speakers emphasized that Oregon cannot confront climate change and escalating wildfire threats on its own. They urged federal leaders to restore funding and defend climate protections so communities like Bend, Redmond, and Sisters have the tools they need to prevent future disasters and protect families before the next fire season begins.
Video of the event will be available here on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@centraloregonlandwatch8405
Click here to follow the original article.
Executive Director Michael Hancock
Bend Campus-Credit: Bethlehem Inn
