Workshop in Maupin to Focus on Protecting Homes from Wildfire Risk

Apr 10

Written By Columbia Community Connection

The Dalles, Ore., April 10, 2026 — A regional wildfire preparedness workshop aimed at helping residents better protect their homes and property will be held April 30 in Maupin as part of a three-part Fire-Adapted Wasco workshop series.

The free event, titled “Creating Fire-Adapted Communities: Home Hardening, Defensible Space and Insurance,” will run from 6 to 8 p.m. at the South Wasco High School cafeteria, 699 Fourth St.

As wildfire risk continues to grow across Wasco County and the Columbia River Gorge, organizers say the workshop is designed to give residents practical, affordable tools to reduce that risk while also helping them navigate a rapidly changing home insurance landscape.

Participants will learn how to create defensible space around their homes, make structural improvements to better withstand wildfire and understand how insurance policies are evolving in response to increased fire danger.

The workshop will also cover steps residents can take to request a defensible space assessment, apply for assistance with mitigation work and help their neighborhoods become recognized as Firewise USA communities.

Representatives from several agencies will be on hand to provide information and answer questions, including the Oregon Department of the State Fire Marshal, Oregon State University, Wasco County, the Wasco County Soil and Water Conservation District, the Oregon Department of Forestry, Mid-Columbia Fire and Rescue, and the Oregon Department of Consumer and Business Services’ Division of Financial Regulation.

Organizers encourage residents from across South Wasco County and surrounding areas to attend, noting that preparation at the household level plays a key role in reducing wildfire impacts across entire communities.