Get Wildfire-Ready at Tryon Creek Workshop August 29

We are excited to offer a new event for community members in the Tryon Creek area and nearby neighborhoods. This free, interactive event features four sessions led by local experts who will share practical steps to strengthen your property’s wildfire resilience and help your household stay safe and ready for an emergency.

Local agencies will also be sharing information and resources on wildfire preparedness at tables after the event.

This event is free and snacks will be provided. There will also be a free raffle to give away tools that can help you navigate an emergency and manage your landscape to reduce your fire risk.

Tryon Creek Wildfire-Ready Workshop
Saturday, August 29, 8:45 am-1:15 pm
Tryon Creek State Natural Area Education Pavilion
11321 SW Terwilliger Blvd, Portland, OR 97219
Free registration (below) is required.

This event is presented by West Multnomah Soil & Water Conservation District, Friends of Tryon Creek, Oregon State Fire Marshal, Portland Fire and Rescue, Lake Oswego Fire Department, and Multnomah County Office of Emergency Management.

Getting to the Event

Parking is $10 at Tryon Creek State Natural Area, or use of a Oregon State Parks valid parking permit. We encourage carpooling due to the limited parking lot and for the environment. Trimet bus #35 has service directly to the park entrance and bicycle parking is free.

Accessibility

This event will be held indoors at a wheelchair accessible space, with a restroom across a paved path in a separate building.

This event will be hosted in English, but translation services are available if requested in advance. Please note this on your registration if needed.

Sessions

Preparedness, presented by Brenda Nuckton, Collins View-Marshall Park NET Team Leader and Kristen Kuppenbender, Multnomah County Office of Emergency Management

Participants will learn:

• What to include in a simple household Go Bag
• How to sign up for evacuation notices and other urgent alerts
• How to connect with your neighborhood for trainings for fire, earthquakes, and other emergencies.

Defensible Space and Home Hardening, presented by Simone Cordery-Cotter, Fire Risk Reduction Specialist at the Oregon State Fire Marshal and Kim Kosmas, Senior Public Education Officer with Portland Fire and Rescue

Participants will learn:

• How homes ignite during wildfires.
• Strategies for hardening the home against ignitions.
• Ideas for creating defensible space.
• Tools to organize neighbors and enhance collective efforts.

Wildfire-Resilient Gardening & Landscapes, presented by Ariana Scipioni, urban conservationist at West Multnomah Soil and Water Conservation District

Breakout Session, presented by Simone Cordery-Cotter, Fire Risk Reduction Specialist at the Oregon State Fire Marshal and Kim Kosmas, Senior Public Education Officer with Portland Fire and Rescue

Participants will learn how to:

• Apply defensible space and home‑hardening principles to real‑world scenarios.
• Weigh safety, aesthetics, and cost considerations when planning home improvements.
• Prioritize structure‑hardening and defensible‑space actions based on effectiveness.

This workshop will cover topics specific to this forested urban and suburban landscape. If you live in NW Portland or rural areas of Multnomah County, our Skyline Ridge Wildfire Ready Workshop might be more appropriate for you. Please sign up for our newsletter to hear about future events, or feel free to email info@wmswcd.org to express interest in an event in your neighborhood.

Schedule:

• 8:45-9 am Check-in
• 9:00 am Welcome and Session 1: Preparedness
• 9:45 am Session 2: Defensible Space and Home Hardening
• 10:45 am Break and raffle
• 11:00 am Session 3: Wildfire-Resilient Gardening & Landscapes
• 11:45 am Session 4: Breakout Session
• 12:30 pm Tabling and Resource Fair
• 1:15 pm Event close

Note: Following the workshop, resources will be emailed to all attendees.

Please make sure all members of your party have registered separately if you plan to attend. Space is limited, so register soon. Registration will close at 8pm on August 26 or when the event reaches capacity.