April 2026 Sunriver Scene - Flipbook - Page 34
Central Oregon Wildfire Educators Group strengthens regional wildfire preparedness
The Central Oregon Wildfire
Educators Group (COWEG),
created in 2022 under the
Central Oregon Fire Prevention
Co-Op, is proud to highlight
years of momentum in wildfire preparedness, education
and community collaboration
across the region.
Bringing together city, county, state, federal and private land
wildfire educators, the group
continues to deliver a unified,
consistent message of how to
live in a fire adapted community within the Central Oregon
landscape, where fire is a natural
part of the environment.
Empowering Central
Oregonians through
education
In 2025, COWEG delivered
wildfire preparedness education and outreach programs
throughout Central Oregon,
helping thousands of residents
better understand critical pillars
of wildfire readiness:
• Defensible space: How to
reduce flammable vegetation
and materials around the home,
while considering other goals
(landscape aesthetics, wildlife,
privacy, and invasive plants).
• Home hardening: Practical
steps to strengthen structures
against ember intrusion.
• Evacuation preparedness:
Ensuring families know when
and how to leave safely.
• Smoke readiness: How
to protect yourself and loved
ones from the health impacts
of smoke
These efforts equip residents
with the knowledge, confidence, and motivation to take
concrete steps toward reducing wildfire risk on their own
properties.
For information on free
Wildfire Home Protection
Strategies Workshops, go to
www.centraloregonfire.org/ Annual Wildfire
whps/
Preparedness Fairs
across the region
Collaboration at the core
Every year, COWEG hosts
COWEG’s strength lies in Wildfire Preparedness Fairs
its partnership model. Mem- across the region. These free
bers include local fire and community events bring togovernment agencies, public gether experts, families and
health, community groups, partners to:
• Share educational resources
tribal partners, and nonprofit
• Demonstrate wildfire readorganizations; all learning from
one another through ongoing iness practices
• Provide hands on learning
collaboration. The group works
as a regional amplification net- opportunities for adults and
work, ensuring that each orga- kids
• Celebrate the progress Cennization’s wildfire preparedness
tral
Oregon communities are
efforts have a broader reach and
making
unified message.
With hundreds of particiWorking together, the group
pants
attending annually, these
distributes educational mafairs
help
strengthen communiterials, supports community
wildfire awareness events, and ty resilience and inspire proppromotes Fire Adapted Com- erty owners to take meaningful
munities principles throughout action.
Central Oregon. By connecting
these efforts, COWEG ensures Upcoming Wildfire
that residents hear clear, consis- Preparedness Fairs
• Wednesday, April 8, 5–8
tent guidance no matter where
they live or which agency they p.m. Sisters High School, 1700
W McKinney Butte Road,
interact with.
Sisters
• Saturday, April 11, 10 a.m.–
Supporting natural resource
12
p.m. Wilco Parking Lot,
protection and prescribed
154
NW Saint Charles Way,
fire
Prineville
A core strength of COWEG
• Saturday, April 11, 3–5 p.m.
is its commitment to protectLa
Pine High School, 51622
ing Central Oregon’s natural
Coach
Road, La Pine
resources. The group supports
•
Thursday,
April 16, 12–2
prescribed fire tactics and uses
across the region, an essential p.m. SHARC, 57250 Overlook
practice for returning fire back Road, Sunriver
• Saturday, May 9, 10 a.m.–1
to the landscape as both a culp.m.
COCC – Wille Hall, 2600
tural and ecological necessity.
COWEG’s commitment to NW College Way, Bend
• Wednesday, May 20, 5–7
provide technical assistance and
p.m.
Jefferson County Fire and
support for private landowners
EMS Station, 765 S 5th Street,
is fundamental for restoring
Madras
ecosystem resilience and reducing the risk of high severity
Connecting the dots of the
wildfires.
fire adapted communities
model
A core part of COWEG’s
mission is helping residents understand how all components of
the Fire Adapted Communities
IS YOUR CONTACT
INFO CURRENT?
Make sure your mailing address and other contact info on record with SROA are
accurate and current. Don’t miss critical communications about your property and
community, such as:
• Dues payment statements
• Compliance program alerts
• Enforcement or legal notices
• Construction advisories
• SROA emergency notifications
• Community news
• Facility operations updates
• Special events
It is YOUR responsibility to inform SROA of any changes to your contact
information. Remember, updates sent to other agencies (the post office,
Deschutes County, etc.) are not recorded with SROA.
Updates can be made here: sunriverowners.org/updatemyinformation
Page 34
APRIL 2026 SUNRIVER SCENE
Wheel fit together – from response agencies and land management to home preparedness,
community planning, evacuation readiness, and recovery.
A fire-adapted community is
a knowledgeable, engaged and
resilient community that understands its wildfire risk and takes
collaborative action to safely
coexist with wild land fire. The
group serves as a bridge, showing how each part contributes
to a safer, more resilient Central
Oregon.
For more information on
Fire Adapted Communities
Learning Network, visit fire
adaptednetwork.org
Creative outreach for all ages
To improve access to wildfire education, COWEG also
develops creative public service
announcements and video content tailored for all age groups.
These media projects bring
important messages to life and
help families start conversations
that lead to action. To inspire
the future leaders and members
of our communities, the group
also collaborates on school visits
and engaging events for kids.
A unified voice for a
wildfire resilient future
The Central Oregon Wildfire Educators Group remains
committed to building genuine, lasting connections with
community and organizations
across the region. With a united voice and shared vision,
the group continues to work
toward community resilience,
strengthen partnerships, and
empower Central Oregonians
to live safely with wildfire.
For more information, contact: Melissa Steele, Bend Fire
& Rescue, co-chair of COWEG
msteele@bendoregon.gov or
Ariel Cowan, OUS Extension,
co-chair of COWEG ariel.
cown@oregonstate.edu
