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Former councilor warns gorse heightens wildfire risk, urges homeowner checklist
Summary
Former councilor Claudine Hunthausen told the Bandon City Council that gorse and other flammable vegetation raise the town's wildfire risk and urged a homeowner checklist, outreach to absentee owners, and a citizen committee to advise the council on vegetation management.
Claudine Hunthausen, a former city councilor, presented to the council on gorse and the town's exposure to wildfire risk, drawing on the scale of recent California losses to make her point.
"The reason that we are so concerned about gorse is fire protection," Hunthausen said, noting large recent losses in California and arguing that local steps could reduce similar damage here. She told the council she found a county "homeowner's checklist" that could be adapted for Bandon and recommended the city make a similar checklist available at the planning office so property owners would receive and sign it when they visit.
Hunthausen described practical measures for property owners — plant selection, woodpile placement, and clearing dead limbs — and urged targeted outreach to absentee owners who may not maintain properties. "Absentee owners are an issue," she said, pointing out that gorse can spread while houses sit unused for years.
She asked the council to consider forming a committee to develop actionable ideas, advise the council, and coordinate with regional groups such as the Coos Forest Protective Association. Hunthausen said the association offered materials that could be adapted rather than requiring the city to start from scratch.
The council thanked Hunthausen for the presentation and for following up with the protective association. The matter will remain in staff follow-up and could inform future code-compliance, outreach, or a formal council policy.
