Oregon's Historic Tillamook Forest Fire of 1933 spread over 240,000 acres of forest land, fires in 1939 and 1945 brought the total to 355,000 acres. Over 13 billion board feet of timber were killed.
Devastation by these disastrous fires aroused Oregon voters to approve a bond issue for reforestation and protection of the burned area. Access roads were built and hazardous snags have been felled to improve forest protection. Many of these snags were sound; over seven billion board feet have been salvaged. Reforestation by planting and by aerial seeding includes Douglas Fir, Noble Fir, Sitka Spruce, Western Red Cedar and others.
A new forest will provide valuable wood and paper products, improved water storage, increase fish and wildlife and expanded outdoor recreation.