Higher temperatures, drought, drier soils and vegetation, and reduced snowpack across the Pacific Northwest are resulting in longer wildfire seasons and an increase in the size, frequency, and intensity of wildfires. Farmers and ranchers, as land stewards, are uniquely vulnerable to wildfires. Wildfires occur naturally; nonetheless they can pose significant financial, human, and production-related risks for ranch operations. We will talk about what we’ve seen when it comes to farmer and community fire preparedness, and how we can improve future resilience.
Panel
Supporting Fire Resilient Agricultural Communities
- Thursday, Oct 22
- 8:30 am –
- 9:05 am
- Great Hall
About this session
Hosted by
Moderated by
Panelistas
Pacific Northwest Deputy Director
Supporting Fire Resilient Agricultural Communities
Chantel Welch is the Pacific Northwest Deputy Director with the American Farmland Trust, based in northcentral Washington State after several years in Sisters, Oregon. Since 2024 she has been working with a small group of ranchers on prescribed grazing and burning practices, hosting learning circles based on and in collaboration with Farmer Campus’ award winning Farming Through Wildfire Season curriculum.
Owner/Operator
Bel Avenir Farm
Diane Choplin – Diane is a service provider with OSU Extension’s Small Farms Program and owner/operator of Bel Avenir Farm outside Ashland, which barely escaped the 2020 Labor Day fires. In 2025 she received funds from ODH and Southern Oregon Climate Action Now to host a rural fire resiliency panel and three learning circles to support fuels reduction and emergency response work in Jackson and Josephine Counties. Now she’s partnering with Firebrand Collective to continue the work while also starting a Firewise USA community in her own rural neighborhood.
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