Contact: Jamie Knight, 541-786-2039
On September 23, the Oregon Department of Forestry will terminate the Regulated-Use Closure for forestlands protected by the Northeast Oregon District. Due to the change in weather, the closure and the associated fire prevention restrictions are no longer necessary. Campfires are now allowed with landowner permission.
Joseph Goebel, Wallowa Wildland Fire Supervisor, cautions, “While we are trending towards cooler fall weather, the conditions can change rapidly. Parts of the region have gotten some moisture and while that has helped, there is still a danger of fire spreading. Make sure you’re cautious with campfires and debris burning and ensure they are dead out before leaving them unattended.”
While fire restrictions have eased, Fire Season remains in effect for private, state, county, municipal and tribal lands protected by ODF. Burn permits are required for all open fires (except campfires), debris burns and burn barrels. ODF will still need to issue a burn permit for any open burns or burn barrels within the protection district until weather conditions warrant an end to fire season.
The Northeast Oregon District includes lands in the following counties: Union, Baker, Umatilla, Wallowa and small portions of Grant, Morrow and Malheur counties.
To obtain a burn permit from ODF, call the local ODF office:
- La Grande Unit 541-963-3168
- Baker City Sub-Unit 541-523-5831
- Wallowa Unit 541-886-2881
- Pendleton Unit 541-276-3491
Fire restrictions may differ on lands protected by rural fire departments or lands managed by the U.S. Forest Service or Bureau of Land Management. Check local regulations before burning. More information on fire restrictions can be found on the Blue Mountain Interagency Dispatch Center website, www.bmidc.org.
To report a fire, call the Blue Mountain Interagency Dispatch Center at 541-963-7171, or dial 9-1-1.
http://bluemountainfireinfo.blogspot.com/ is the spot for current fire information in the Blue Mountains.