September 2020 will forever be remembered by residents of the Pacific Northwest as one of the most heartbreaking months in our history. Over eight days five “mega-fires” decimated over 1 million acres of public and private land, 40,000 people were evacuated from their homes, 4,000 homes were destroyed and 11 lives were lost.
It began as few small wildfires in Oregon’s Cascade Range that were fueled by historic winds, peaking at 106 mph causing the wildfires to spread quickly and with a force that was impossible for local firefighters to manage. Adding to the existing fires, multiple blazes began to pop up in the Willamette Valley and southern Oregon. Downed powerlines and human negligence sparked flames in areas that had never before seen wildfires, many densely populated. The Riverside fire grew from nothing to 110,000 acres in under two days causing the air quality index to register over 700 in some areas, more than 1.5 times higher than the “Hazardous Air” warning.
Ioka Farms was less than five miles west of the fires and we, like our neighbors, worked day and night to create fire lines, bale and remove hay from fields, and back burn acres to protect not only our family’s homes but our friends and neighbors in the surrounding area. We are immensely thankful that our land, family, and homes were spared. Our hearts go out to so many of our friends and customers who weren’t as fortunate was we were.
When the smoke cleared and we learned the extent of the damage, we were called to action. We have experience reseeding land that has been affected by fires. In 2018 the Mesa Fire consumed nearly 35,000 acres in Idaho. We worked with the Neilson family and other seed companies to create test plots of several cultivars that would repair the soil, have quick growing and sustainable food plots for wildlife and livestock, and minimize erosion.
Working directly with the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, Soil and Water Conservations Districts, and PGG Seeds’ agronomist John Snider, we quickly came up with a Wildfire Recovery mix to begin to repair the damage to the soil and create food plots for livestock and wildlife. Within four days we had a Wildfire Recovery mix that was distributed to private land owners around Oregon.
If you’ve had land affected by the wildfire, contact us about reseeding. We are happy to make a custom mix that will fit your specifications. Call us to discuss your needs and how we can help to heal your land.
As the temperatures continue to warm and drought looms over, being prepared for the chance of experiencing wildfires again can give one a peace of mind. There are excellent resources online with information on how to get ready: https://www.ready.gov/wildfires
Additionally, here is a resource on Fire Prevention for Rural Areas: https://www.nationwide.com/lc/resources/farm-and-agribusiness/articles/wildfires
