There are many ways you can take action to help prevent wildfires and Keep Oregon Green!
Wildfires affect you, your family, your neighbors, your community and the state of Oregon. Whether you are a student or a scout looking to complete a wildfire prevention project, or a classroom or school looking for learn-and-serve ideas and opportunities to help protect and educate your community, KOG can help connect you with local resources!
The best time to conduct fire prevention activities is BEFORE fire season. May is Wildfire Awareness Month, and Earth Day is in April—two good months to be active outdoors. But any time is a good time to get active in your community and start a wildfire prevention discussion or project.
Earn Digital Badges
Similar to the scouting community, you can earn badges for successfully learning about wildfire prevention and participating in activities that engage and educate others. Our badges are a journey, from simple activities in the Awareness category to more challenging requirements in the Education and Action categories. Create an account to get started. As you finish all badges in each of the three categories below, the individual badges will turn color, indicating you have increased your knowledge of wildfire. When you complete all badges in each of the three categories, you will receive a reward from KOG!
1) Take the Keep Oregon Green pledge and earn your first badge.
2) Watch all 5 wildfire videos . Watch Here
3) Complete these 4 worksheets from the activities section: Making Fire; Campfire Safety; Use It Safely and Burning Decisions Complete Four Worksheets
4) Document a personal story where 1) You saw someone being careless with fire, 2) You experienced a wildfire event, or 3) Interview someone who has experienced/evacuated their home due to wildfire (500 words or more, single-spaced). Upload Here
1) What kinds of careers are associated with wildfire suppression and prevention? Pick one career path and describe why it appeals to you (500 words or more, single-spaced). Upload Here. More Resources: https://site.oregonforests.org/media/855
2) What is Oregon doing to help prevent unwanted wildfires (500 words or more, single-spaced)? Upload Here. More Resources: https://kogranger.org/take-action/partners/
3) Write about a significant historic human-caused wildfire in Oregon that was close to where you live. How did it start, what was impacted, how many acres were burned, how much did it cost to suppress, how was it extinguished (500 words or more, single-spaced)? Upload Here. More Resources: https://keeporegongreen.org/fire-map/
4) Why is it important to prevent wildfires (list social, economic and environmental reasons). (500 words or more, single-spaced) Upload Here.
1) Research the top ways people start wildfires in Oregon and pick an issue you want to address. Learn everything you can about this issue and propose a unique solution. Summarize your solution in 500 words as to why this issue is important to you and how you could help. Include any personal history you have with this particular issue. Upload Here.
2) Lead a project on or off school campus that raises awareness about wildfire prevention. This project should help with your ability to take initiative, collaborate and communicate effectively, focus on problem-solving, and accept critical feedback. Create a plan for how you will show and tell others about your proposed project (this can be a detailed outline, a flowchart or some kind of map that shows your work from start to finish). Your project might inspire someone else in another part of the state to do something similar. You can use projects provided on this website or you can develop your own project. If you want to make sure you’re on the right track, send your idea to Keep Oregon Green. Upload Here.
3) Complete and summarize your project capturing all the work you did. Collect evidence along the way, including plans, photos, videos, presentations, surveys, posters, journals, research, feedback from others, recognition/awards, news articles, etc. Upload Here.
4) Present your project to your classroom, a community wildfire prevention stakeholder or the media. Send evidence that this task has been completed. Upload Here.
Volunteer
Check out our page to learn how you can volunteer to earn credit hours.
Internships
Check out our page to learn more about internship opportunities with KOG.
Scholarships
How do I apply for a scholarship?
Application review period: January 15 – May 1 by 5pm. Scholarships are awarded to students entering the fall quarter. Scholarships are one year awards that are dispensed by August 1. Students are considered for activity-based scholarships based on information provided in their scholarship application. A $500-$2,000 scholarship may be awarded to support a student who wants to help prevent sources of human-caused wildfires in their community or help it become more fire-adapted and resilient to the threat of an oncoming wildfire.
Learn about the eligible prevention activities here or submit your own idea for approval.
By completing the list of criteria and verifying your participation in a wildfire prevention education/mitigation project, you will be entered for the opportunity to earn a scholarship for the fall quarter.
- Submit a personal 500 word statement/essay about a proposed project and why you are interested in conducting a community wildfire prevention education.
- Resume
- Three letters of recommendation from teachers, coaches, or supervisors
- Unofficial transcripts for high school or post-secondary education
- Proof of Acceptance to post-secondary education (College, University, Vocational, Technical)
- Financial information including the cost of attending, school package of financial assistance; scholarships and other funding; personal contribution; family contribution; total unmet financial need
- Submit a prevention activity for approval by KOG. With a green light by KOG, complete the activity by May 1.
How is the scholarship awarded?
Scholarship money is sent directly to the school of your choice. It can only be applied toward eligible costs incurred directly from a post-high school, higher education program, (community college, college, university, or trade school) that are listed on the itemized tuition bill. This includes tuition and fees, room/board or books. We cannot send scholarship money directly to a student.
