Amanda Peacher

Wednesday marks the 12th day of the armed occupation of a federal wildlife refuge in Oregon. The militants who took over the federal headquarters continue to move freely in and out of the refuge. Supporters occasionally come in with food and other supplies. It's still not clear how long they'll stay, but the occupiers continue to talk about their goal of turning over federal lands to local control.

The occupation of a federal wildlife refuge in southeast Oregon has brought heightened attention to the federal government's management of public lands. The ranchers of Harney County, Ore., have a long history of both working with and struggling with the Bureau of Land Management. Some ranchers blame the area's economic hardship on federal mismanagement of public lands, but others see the government agency as a valuable partner.

The self-described militiamen occupying buildings at a national wildlife refuge accuse the federal government of overreaching its authority and say they'll remain in their new base for years.

Maintaining a fire tower lookout can be costly for wildfire agencies, but in the West, many towers are still staffed by seasonal employees. Now the Oregon Department of Forestry is phasing out human lookouts in exchange for highly sensitive cameras. These cameras have the potential to change the way fire departments detect fire nationwide.

The Canyon Creek Complex fire has burned more than 54,000 acres in Oregon. Now, Oregon Public Broadcasting's Amanda Peacher reports that those who lost property are trying to move forward.