No new fires 10 acres or larger were reported this past week on the 16 million acres of forestland protected by the Oregon Department of Forestry.
Cool, damp weather has limited the number and size of wildfires so far this summer. But the seasonal weather pattern is beginning to take hold, and fire danger is expected to rise. The abundant growth of grasses and brush stimulated by the added rainfall will create a large potential fuel load in August and September as these fine fuels cure. Recreationists, forest operators and residents of the wildland-urban interface all need to be especially aware of fire safety in the weeks and months ahead.