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County crews widen firebreaks, stand up EOC as part of Harney County wildfire response
Summary
Harney County officials said county road crews are clearing shoulders and vegetation to create wider firebreaks near town, that the county will stand up its Emergency Operations Center, and that the RFPA and local landowners are coordinating additional efforts north and west of Burns.
Following the adoption of the emergency proclamation, the presiding officer outlined immediate local preparations: county road crews are grading shoulders and clearing vegetation to expand fuel breaks near town, and crews have contacted private landowners to secure permission to clear a previously created break above town.
The Chair also said the county will stand up its Emergency Operations Center at the emergency management office to coordinate response activities. "We're gonna stand up the EOC down at the emergency management office to start running this kind of stuff through," the Chair said. County officials noted the local Rural Fire Protection Association and landowners are working on additional mitigation efforts further north and west of town.
Officials described the physical work as expanding the existing break by "about two to three grader blades wide" and said those efforts are intended to improve defensible space and readymade fire lines for suppression resources.
