On Wednesday, March 5, the Deschutes County Board of Commissioners approved this year’s Qualified Pool of Fuel Reduction Contractors, which allows for a quicker turnaround of bids and contract awards for fuel reduction projects.
“Having an established pool reduces the time spent evaluating contractors, ensures a high standard of work and allows for competitive bidding,” said County Forester Kevin Moriarty.
“Every year, the County Natural Resources Department solicits contractors who are interested in bidding on fuel reduction projects. We evaluate applications to ensure contractors meet specific criteria and then develop a list of contractors who are qualified to do the work as needed.”
All 21 of the contractors who applied this year were added to the qualified pool. Contractors will have an opportunity to bid on fuel reduction projects as they are scheduled throughout the year.
Beyond this pool of qualified contractors, Deschutes County offers a variety of community programs to help reduce fuel and lower wildfire risk. The FireFree program empowers residents to prepare their home for the threat of wildfire and Project Wildfire optimizes community efforts to develop effective fire plans and mitigate wildfire risk. You can find more information on the County Natural Resources website.
