The Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board has awarded two grants totaling almost $1 million to help private property owners in Baker County combat noxious weeds in areas burned during the record-setting 2024 wildfire season.

The money, from Oregon Lottery proceeds, will go to the Tri-County Cooperative Weed Management Area, which is based in La Grande and works in Baker, Union and Wallowa counties.

The two grants total $974,581.

• A grant of $530,441 is for the Town Gulch and Coyote fires, both near Richland and Halfway.

The Town Gulch fire was started by lightning on Aug. 5, 2024, along Eagle Creek several miles north of New Bridge. The Coyote fire was part of the Badlands Complex, a series of blazes started by lightning on July 22, 2024, between Interstate 84 and Highway 86.

• A grant of $444,140 is for the Durkee and Thompson fires.

The Durkee fire, started by lightning on July 17, 2024, was Oregon’s largest, burning 294,000 acres in Baker and Malheur counties. The Thompson fire, north of Interstate 84 near Durkee, was part of the Badlands Complex.

“These projects are a wonderful investment of Oregon Lottery funds,” Sara O’Brien, executive director of the Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board, said in a press release. “They help to restore lands hit by wildfire with native plant communities, and improve habitat for many different fish and wildlife species including sage grouse.”

Gussie Cook, supervisor of Baker County’s weed district, said the Tri-County Cooperative Weed Management Area will be working with owners of burned property to try to prevent noxious weeds from infesting scorched ground.

Burned areas can be especially vulnerable to noxious weeds, which can colonize disturbed ground faster than native species such as bunchgrasses.

The state grants are particularly important given that the Baker County weed district has less money available after county voters in 2024 twice rejected a property tax levy.

For the 2022-23 fiscal year, the tax levy supplied $86,000 — about 22% of the county weed department’s budget.

The levy is a major source of money for certain programs, including herbicide giveaways and the cost-share program in which the weed district reimburses property owners for up to $500 to deal with weeds, Cook said.

Neither the free herbicide nor the cost-share program is available this year due to the levy’s failure, she said.

She encourages property owners who need help identifying weeds, or suggestions about treating weeds, to call the district at 541-523-0618, or email to gcook@bakercountyor.gov.

Cook also encourages people who own property burned in the Durkee, Thompson, Town Gulch or Coyote fires to call the Tri-County Cooperative Weed Management Area at 541-624-5353, or email mail@tricountycwma.org.