The past three wildfire seasons were among the most severe and costly in the history of the Oregon Dept. of Forestry. Hot, dry conditions, long-term buildup of forest fuels, and expansion of the wildland-urban interface contributed to the increased fire activity and expense.
LARGE FIRE COSTS:
2013
Gross: $122 million
Net. $75 million
2014
Gross: $75.6 million
Net: $47.7 million
2015
Gross: $76.7 million
Net: $29.6 million
In late 2015, ODF formed the Fire Program Review Committee to review the department’s firefighting system, in an effort to curb rising costs and ensure its sustainability into the future.