Morgan Lake
Firewise® Community
Who are we?
In November, 2024, Morgan Lake became the first recognized Firewise Community in Union County. The community of about 40 households sits along a ridgeline just a few miles west of La Grande and was listed as a community at risk in the 2016 Union County Community Wildfire Protection Plan. Partly because of this, they were contacted by the Oregon Department of Forestry in 2022 about grant funding available through Senate Bill 762 to do defensible space work around homes and structures. Throughout Summer and Fall 2022, 2023, and 2024 Morgan Lake residents removed trees to increase their communal defensible space, and through the process, became interested in Firewise.
In 2023, Morgan Lake neighbors gathered with partners from La Grande Rural Fire Protection District, the Oregon Department of Forestry, Oregon State Fire Marshal, Union County Emergency Services, Wallowa Resources, and Oregon State University-Extension, to conduct a community wildfire risk assessment. The goal of the assessment was to help the community better understand their wildfire risk, inventory the community’s strengths, understand their weaknesses, and brainstorm ways to increase wildfire resilience. A core group of residents formed the Morgan Lake Firewise Committee to review the assessment and create a three-year action plan for the neighborhood. The action plan was reviewed at their 3rd annual Firewise Community picnic and planning session and includes evacuation planning, enhancing neighborhood communication, mapping water and other resources, and continuing forest thinning and restoration work.
Where are we?
Find out if you live in our community’s boundaries.