A History of Wildfire in the Gorge: Sense of Place March 20th
From Sense of Place:
By Sarah Fox
Hood River, Ore. (Mar. 5th, 2024) — Sense of Place will feature A History of Wildfire in the Gorge on March 20, 2024. This event will be offered in person at the Columbia Center for the Arts in Hood River, Oregon, and via livestream.
The recent catastrophic wildfires in the Pacific Northwest serve as a stark reminder of wildland fire’s place on the landscape. These events highlight the immediate dangers to communities and the natural world but can overshadow the much broader historical impacts of wildland fire. For local tribes, fire was a tool for the management of traditionally gathered and hunted resources, such as huckleberries and game. And since the early 1800s, the documentation of both natural and human-caused fires has been chronicled in periodicals and published literature, photos, maps, and first-person accounts from early forest rangers, loggers, and miners. Modern-day wildfires have led to evolving fire management strategies, but looking ahead has prompted increased recognition to also look back. Join Chris Donnermeyer, Heritage Program Manager with the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area, as he digs into the history of wildfire in the Gorge and what it might tell us about the future.
Chris Donnermeyer
Chris Donnermeyer has been working as a Heritage professional since 2000 and has held roles in both the private and public sectors. Chris began his federal career in 2004 with the Flagstaff Area National Monuments. In 2010 Chris worked with the Bonneville Power Administration, then moved to the U.S. Forest Service, Gifford Pinchot National Forest; first as an Archaeologist, then as the Heritage Program Manager. In 2017, Chris joined the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area as the Heritage Program Manager. In this role, he has worked using a variety of methods, including reconnaissance and historic surveys on privately owned lands, and in coordination and co-stewardship with over a dozen Federal and state agencies, and six Tribes.
Event Details: Sense of Place
When - Wednesday, March 20, 2024. Doors open at 6:00 pm, presentation begins 7 p.m.
Where – Columbia Center for the Arts, 215 Cascade Avenue Hood River, OR 97031 or via live stream
Cost - $12 tickets, information at SenseOfPlaceGorge.org
* Advance purchase is encouraged as presentations often sell out. Seats not filled by 6:45 p.m. will be made available to those on the waitlist. The event will be followed by a Q&A moderated by Sense of Place host, Sarah Fox.
Sense of Place is a program of Mt. Adams Institute, a Gorge-based non-profit that seeks to strengthen the connection between people and the natural world through education, service, career development, and research.
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