Protecting open spaces in Happy Valley

With its beautiful tree canopy and plant life, Happy Valley is recognized nationally as a Tree City USA and known for outdoor spaces that welcome a variety of native plants and wildlife. With wildfires and persistent drought conditions influx throughout the Pacific Northwest, City Council made it a priority to enact a community-wide fuels assessment to evaluate all open spaces within City limits. This initiative aims to determine wildfire risk and establish ongoing preventative measures to reduce the chances of a related catastrophic event.

To better understand what our greenspaces might need when it comes to hazard reduction, the City has contracted with retired U.S. Forest Service Fire Manager, Mike Andrews. As the City’s Fuel Reduction Specialist, he not only can pinpoint hazards that pose the greatest threat now, but also those that could threaten the space in the future if left unattended. These assessments assist in creating a comprehensive urban management plan that is effective and manageable.

For his work with the City, Andrews is tasked with assessing a variety of open spaces, including all City and government owned properties within City limits. These include City parks and trails, Metro and County properties, and the greenspaces within City limits owned by neighborhood developments and private Homeowner’s Associations. For HOA’s, the results from the Fuel Reduction Specialist’s assessments are actively shared with the respective groups to ensure residents have a concrete plan for addressing pressing concerns and scheduling ongoing maintenance.

The hazard and risk assessments Andrews conducts are complex and consider a variety of factors. Hazards are defined as anything that could burn if an ignition source is provided. Typically, this would be lightning or a rogue spark of some kind. In Happy Valley, the former isn’t usually a contender, but a firework, BBQ flame, cigarette ember, or something similar, is more likely. While dry, discarded vegetation (dead ladder fuel) is frequently believed to be a major culprit, other things can pose a significant threat. Native conifers, for example, like Douglas firs, cedars, pines, and spruces (live ladder fuel) can easily become a fire hazard due to the flammable nature of the oils in their needles. Depending on their growth, how they are situated next to other plant life, and even how they are spaced within an area could affect the likelihood of wildfire.

Ultimately, keeping open spaces tidy and free from hazardous ladder fuels takes dedication and effort. The assessments provided by the Fuel Reduction Specialist are intended to serve as a helpful resource that keeps tasks manageable and effectively explained.

For more information about fuels assessments in Happy Valley and tips for how to safeguard your neighborhood’s shared open spaces, contact Fuel Reduction Specialist, Mike Andrews at [email protected].

Be proactive
With so many HOA’s in Happy Valley that include shared open spaces, the City would like to stay connected to those who represent your particular association. From sharing information on City happenings to helping connect HOA’s to grant opportunities and topical educational resources such as wildfire safety, local HOA’s can get the inside scoop on how to prevent problems and stay in-the-know. Simply visit our designated HOA page to learn more.