THE DALLES, Ore. — After the Larch Creek Fire burned more than 18,000 acres in Oregon’s Tygh Valley in Wasco County last summer, efforts to restore the landscape are getting a high-tech boost from the sky.

A year after the July 2024 wildfire tore through brush, trees and ranchland, drones are now being used to reseed the burned area with native grasses and plants — part of a program from Columbia Gorge Community College.

“So, in this particular thing, it's about 12 different seeds,” said Mike Davis, a longtime pilot and aeronautical engineer helping lead the effort.

Davis, who holds a PhD in aeronautical engineering, has been flying for more than 50 years.

“It’s my life. I've been in aviation for well over 50 years,” he said. “It’s just part of my life. It’s what I do.”

These day

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