Fire-Adapted Communities Workshop Set for April 30 in Maupin
From Wasco County Planning Division:
By Melissa Napoli
The Dalles, Ore., April 16, 2026 — Wasco County and regional partners will host the second installment of a three-part Fire-Adapted Wasco workshop series later this month, focusing on practical steps residents can take to protect their homes and understand changing insurance realities tied to wildfire risk.
The workshop, titled “Creating Fire-Adapted Communities,” is scheduled for Thursday, April 30, from 6 to 8 p.m. at the South Wasco High School cafeteria, 699 Fourth St. in Maupin.
Why this matters: As wildfire risk continues to shape insurance availability and costs across Oregon, local homeowners are increasingly facing higher premiums, coverage limitations or policy non-renewals. The workshop aims to give residents tools to reduce risk and improve insurability.
Attendees will learn simple, affordable ways to harden their homes against wildfire, create defensible space and reduce hazards around their properties. Organizers will also provide guidance on how these mitigation steps can impact insurance coverage and costs.
Representatives from the Oregon Division of Financial Regulation will be on site to answer questions about the evolving home insurance market and how wildfire risk is influencing policy decisions.
Additional participating organizations include the Oregon State Fire Marshal, Oregon State University, Wasco County, Wasco County Soil and Water Conservation District, Oregon Department of Forestry, Mid-Columbia Fire and Rescue, and the Oregon Department of Consumer and Business Services.
The workshop will also introduce programs and resources available to residents, including defensible space assessments, service work opportunities and steps to help neighborhoods become recognized through the Firewise USA program.
The April 30 event is part of a broader series aimed at building wildfire resilience across Wasco County. A third workshop is scheduled for May 21 in Tygh Valley, focusing on evacuation planning, smoke readiness and emergency alerts.
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