Tillamook Forest Center to host Wildfire Community Preparedness Day

The Tillamook Forest Center will host a Wildfire Community Preparedness Day on Saturday, May 2, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Visitors to the center can see a presentation by the Oregon State Fire Marshal on home readiness and wildfire risk reduction, a visit from Smokey Bear, and hands-on activities. A screening of "Samurai in the Oregon Sky," a film about the only manned aerial bombing of the lower 48 states during WW2 will be held. The film follows the story of Japanese pilot Nobuo Fujita, who undertook the mission to attempt to ignite fires in Oregon forests and returned to Oregon many years later to present his family's 400-year-old katana to the city of Brookings. Admission is free with a suggested $5 donation. Groups of 10 or more must preregister at $5 per person. Families are exempt from the group requirement. The center features a replica fire lookout tower, an interpretive center, a bridge that spans the Wilson River and links to the Wilson River Trail, a theater that shows programs related to the historic Tillamook Burn, and presentations surrounding the history, wildlife, and vegetation of the Tillamook State Forest. More information can be found by visiting the Tillamook Forest Center website. The Tillamook Forest Center is located at 45500 Wilson River Highway, Tillamook, Oregon 97141 and can be reached by phone at 503-815-6800. To stay up-to-date on the forest center’s plans and events, follow them on Facebook.