The Whitewater forest fire in Oregon's Cascade range last summer was among the most impactful in the Northwest in 2017, eventually spanning 11,500 acres and costing nearly $40 million to fight. It also unmistakably altered the landscape around some iconic Oregon hiking trails. But while the blaze itself wreaked economic and environmental havoc, the process to control it did come with a notable silver lining: a recycling pilot project aimed at reducing tonnages sent to disposal by firefighting crews and support teams. The initiative at the U.S. Forest Service's incident command post near Sisters, Ore. brought together federal fire employees and a private Oregon firm that specializes in waste diversion at events. Together, stakeholders were able to streamline collection, sortation and logistics in an environment where safety and speed - not materials diversion - are generally top of mind.
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