The Coming Wildfire Season
Wildfire season is upon us. Already the Governor has declared a state of emergency and numerous small wildfires have broken out in Lane County as well as more extensive fires in Eastern Washington. A variety of sources have projected a dangerous season ahead. Representatives from local agencies actively working on wildfire planning and reduction will join us to discuss the outlook for this year’s season, what they are doing to help mitigate the impacts of a wildfire in Springfield, and provide tips on how community members can help protect their homes and area recreation spots.
Hannah Shafer serves Eugene Springfield Fire as their Wildfire Planning & Fuels Management Manager. Her work includes wildfire planning, fuel reduction projects, wildfire risk assessments, and public outreach and education. Prior to ESF, she did natural hazard and wildfire planning with Lane County and Benton County. Born and raised in Pennsylvania, she has called Oregon home for the past six years and holds a Master of Public Administration from the University of Oregon.
Lawrence Jackson is currently a Forest Officer with the Oregon Department of Forestry out of the Springfield office. He got his start in emergency services in 2017 by volunteering with Coburg Rural Fire District. He worked with them as a part-time Firefighter EMT while also working for Mid Valley Ambulance. Due to the increase in Rural Fire Departments’ involvement in wildfires in the urban interface, he wanted more experience fighting wildland fire, taking a summer job with ODF in 2022 and immediately caught the fire bug. In 2024, he was hired as a Forest Officer and decided to pursue Wildland Firefighting full-time.
Jackie Rochefort serves as the Planning and Natural Resource Manager for Willamalane Park and Recreation District. She holds a Master of Landscape Architecture from the University of Oregon. Prior to joining Willamalane, Jackie spent 24 years as the Park Planner for the City of Corvallis, where she led the planning, design, and development of parks, trails, natural areas, and facilities across the community. A collaborative leader by nature, Jackie believes the landscape itself sets the stage for every great project — a philosophy that shapes everything she does.