MEDICAL LAKE — In Aug. 2023, the Gray Fire burned 10,000 acres of urban, suburban and rural interface just east of Lincoln County. Over half the Lazy R Ranch, the learning site for Roots of Resilience, was burned in the fire.
Roots of Resilience, in collaboration with Lazy R Ranch, is proud to announce a comprehensive workshop, “Tame the Flames,” aimed at educating and demonstrating effective wildfire management strategies through grazing and forestry practices.
Scheduled for June 22-23, this event will gather experts and stakeholders to share insights, strategies, and practical demonstrations on wildfire management. Over the two days, attendees will have the opportunity to engage with prominent speakers from various organizations including:
• Medical Lake Mayor Terri Cooper
• Spokane County Fire District No. 3 Chief Cody Rohrbach
• Dept. of Natural Resources Rep. Guy Gifford, presenting fuel reduction programs
• Garth Davies from the Spokane Soil Conservation District (SSCD)
• Colin Sternagel of the Cascadia Prescribed Burning Association
• Dale Swedberg, representing the Washington Prescribed Burning Council (WPBC), will discuss prescribed burning techniques.
• WSU Extension Beef Specialist Tip Hudson will speak on the ecological impacts of wildfire.
• Craig Madsen, from Healing Hooves will focus on vegetation management with goats.
• Sandra Matheson from Roots of Resilience will present on holistic management.
• Beth and Maurice Robinette, from Lazy R Ranch, will discuss fire impacts and regeneration efforts.
The second day of the workshop, June 23, will include a field trip to Lazy R Ranch, which was burned in the 2023 Gray Fire. Participants will witness firsthand the regeneration of burned ground through high-intensity short-duration grazing, as well as mitigating future fire risk through planned grazing.
Registration is priced at $175. Additional ranch employees or family members can register at a discounted rate of $125.
Lunch will be provided on the first day of the workshop, which will be held at 620 N Stanley Street from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. The second day of the workshop will be held at the Lazy R Ranch, near Clear Lake, from 9 a.m. to noon, with breakfast provided.
“We are excited to bring together experts and practitioners in wildfire management to share valuable insights and strategies,” Beth Robinette of Roots of Resilience said. “This workshop aims to empower individuals and communities with the knowledge and tools necessary to mitigate the risks posed by wildfires.”
“I’ve lived with the risk of fire my whole life here,” Lazy R Ranch owner/operator Maurice Robinette said. We always knew we were waiting for the inevitable. But even with planning and preparation, being in a disaster like that is really hard. We want to share what we’ve experienced and make the community stronger.”
Registration is open at https://rootsofresilience.org/fire-resilience-workshop.
Roots of Resilience is a initiative promoting sustainable practices for the restoration of global grasslands.
Lazy R Ranch, nestled in the scenic Channeled Scablands west of Spokane, is a fourth-generation family-owned enterprise specializing in 100% grassfed and finished beef.
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