SB1533 wildfire

Alan R.P. Journet Ph.D.
Cofacilitator,
Southern Oregon Climate Action Now
7113 Griffin Lane
Jacksonville OR 97530-9342
alan@socan.eco
541-301-4107
February 2^nd  2022

Chair Golden and members of the Senate Committee on Natural Resources and Wildfire Recovery:

I write as co-facilitator of Southern Oregon Climate Action Now on behalf of the over 1600 rural Southern Oregonians who are SOCAN. Our mission is to promote awareness and understanding of the science of global warming and its climate change consequences and motivate individual and collective action to address the resulting climate crisis.

While we understand that the summer dry / winter wet Mediterranean climate of the western United States confers upon the region a climate that has existed for millennia and that makes the natural ecosystems of the region fire prone, fire adapted and fire dependent. In short, fire in Oregon’s forests is inevitable and essential. However, acknowledging that reality, we also recognize that fire constitutes a major threat to the residents of the region and support efforts to modify our behavior that will allow coexistence. I therefore write in support of SB1533 which offers further assistance to the residents of Oregon in relation to the ongoing threat of wildfire.

SB762 from the 2021 session represented a sane effort to achieve this balance. SB2533 offers equally sane updates to that legislation. For these reasons Southern Oregon Climate Action Now supports SB1533 and urges it passage.t

Respectfully submitted

Alan Journet Ph.D.
Cofacilitator
Southern Oregon Climate Action Now