Governor Kate Brown Visits Cascade Siskiyou National Monument, South Obenchain Fire Site

Statement

Governor Kate Brown today visited the Cascade Siskiyou National Monument and the site of the 2020 South Obenchain Fire with U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley and representatives from the U.S. Department of the Interior. The Governor discussed the importance of strong partnerships among local, state, and federal leaders as Oregon continues to face wildfires made more intense by the impacts of climate change.

At the Cascade Siskiyou National Monument, Governor Brown and Senator Merkley received a briefing on the significance and future of the monument. From there, the Governor and Senator traveled to the site of the South Obenchain fire in Butte Falls, where they received a briefing on fire recovery efforts and how fire season in Oregon is evolving due to the impacts of climate change.

"The immense devastation of the 2020 wildfire season is difficult to comprehend unless you see it up close and in person, as we have today. Many families are still struggling to rebuild what they lost today, over a year later," said Governor Brown. "We are so pleased by our partnership with the Department of the Interior and the Biden-Harris administration, as we work together at the local, state, and federal levels to take a comprehensive, coordinated approach to addressing wildfire."

The Governor was joined by representatives from the Bureau of Land Management and the Oregon Department of Forestry, as well as local scientists.

Source