Lane County and the University of Oregon School of Planning, Public Policy and Management are hosting the first-ever Oregon Summit on Wildfire Recovery on October 30 and 31.

Communities in Lane, Linn, Lincoln, Jackson, Clackamas, Klamath, Marion, and Douglas counties were devastated by the Labor Day wildfires of 2020. As they begin the fourth year of recovery from these wildfires, leaders, managers, and policymakers from across the state are gathering to assess progress and learn from each other.

“Across Oregon, we have an opportunity to learn from wildfire experiences over the last four years,” said Lane County Administrator Steve Mokrohisky. “This Summit will focus on what has worked in supporting rebuilding and recovery, and look for areas in which we need to create change in state and local policies to improve preparedness, response and recovery in the future.”

“The University of Oregon has been a key partner in building more resilient Oregon communities. A gathering of this many experienced public servants who have been tirelessly rebuilding their communities after these fires creates a learning and knowledge-building opportunity to help future generations be better prepared and more resilient in the face of future disasters,” said Benjamin Clark, director of the School of Planning, Public Policy and Management at the University of Oregon. 

The Summit features two days of presentations and panel discussions regarding a variety of wildfire recovery issues. A few of the notable sessions focus on innovative housing solutions, increasing community resilience, strengthening recovery capacity across the state, whole community recovery, and trauma-informed recovery, as well as remarks from Senator Jeff Merkley and Congresswoman Val Hoyle. 

The Summit is being held at the Ford Alumni Center at the University of Oregon. More than 175 attendees have registered. 

Support for the Summit has been provided by several community partners, including The Ford Family Foundation, University of Oregon Office of the Vice President for Research and Innovation, Oregon Department of Land Conservation & Development, University of Oregon College of Design, Oregon Housing and Community Services, and University of Oregon Safety and Risk Services.