A Q&A with Chris Furr Chris Furr is the new district ranger for the Methow Valley Ranger District of the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest, replacing Mike Liu. Furr grew up in southwest Mississippi and is a longtime U.S. Forest Service employee who spent the past seven years in northern New Mexico, five of them as district […]
U.S. Forest Service
Interagency talks continue on wildlife encounter protocols
Since they first made their presence in Washington known 10 years ago, gray wolves have been a source of controversy. When multiple agencies became involved in a recent encounter between wolves and a human, the result was confusion, frustration and mistrust.
Three arrested in connection with trailhead vehicle break-ins
Three people were arrested in Mazama last week in connection with a spate of vehicle break-ins at local trailheads in which numerous cars were damaged and a variety of items, including cash, credit cards and computers, were stolen.
Since June 11, several vehicle prowls were …
Restoration and repairs to close some USFS recreation areas this summer
Some popular locations in the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest will be temporarily closed or have crews doing restoration and repair work this summer. Forest officials advise visitors of the following changes and projects: • An extreme windstorm on June 25 blew down thousands of trees across the Methow Valley and Tonasket Ranger Districts, according to Shannon […]
Advanced study in firefighting
“When I first encountered the fire world, I pictured them as heroic or too macho — and not that approachable,” said Methow Valley resident Abby Ludeman, who spent last week at an intensive training for firefighters. “But the people here have amazing stories and are humble about their experiences and want to …
Hearing set on county ordinance to hike WATV penalties
The Okanogan County commissioners will hold a July 9 public hearing on an ordinance that would increase the penalty for illegal operation of wheeled all-terrain vehicles (WATVs) to $500 on a county road not open to the vehicles, and to $1,000 in a posted environmentally sensitive area.
Burn ban imposed in Okanogan County starting this weekend
Finding that the county “is experiencing weather conditions that are contributing to unusual fire conditions,” the Okanogan County commissioners have signed their annual resolution banning all outdoor burning. The current conditions increase the potential for large, catastrophic fires, according to the resolution …
Mike Liu: Community trailblazer
When Mike Liu became Methow Valley Ranger District nine years ago, he recognized the vital relationship between his agency and the small community that is surrounded by the 1.3 million acres of national forest lands he was hired to manage.
Building community connections has been a priority for Liu, who will retire on June 22.
A forest health prescription
The U.S. Forest Service truck shuddered over the dirt road as Sara Billings, fuels assistant fire management officer at the Methow Valley Ranger District, drove up into the Okanogan/Wenatchee National Forest outside of Winthrop last week. She was visiting a prescribed burn that was underway in …
Smokejumper base improvements are top regional priority
Improvements at the North Cascades Smokejumper Base (NCSB) are ranked as the top priority for aviation-related infrastructure funding this year by the U.S. Forest Service’s Pacific Northwest Region, the regional office said Tuesday (May 1).
Regional Forester Jim Peña was …
