June 22, 2023
La Grande, OR- A drier than normal spring and with a warming trend in the forecast has prompted Oregon Department of Forestry (ODF) to begin fire season on private forest lands in northeast Oregon. Department of Forestry (ODF) is seeing fire danger increasing across the Northeast Oregon District.
FIRE SEASON will begin at 12:01 a.m., Thursday, June 22nd for forest and range lands protected by ODF Northeast Oregon District. “Early in the fire season, it’s easy to underestimate what level the fire danger really is. We really want to encourage folks to make sure they are getting out regularly and checking any place where slash or debris piles were burned late last winter and this spring. Those areas can hold heat for a long time and cause fires to rekindle months later.” Said Matt Howard, District Forester.
The fire season declaration places fire prevention restrictions on landowners and public. Additionally, fire prevention regulations on industrial logging and forest management activities are put into place. Lands affected include private, state, county, municipal, and tribal lands in Union, Baker, Wallowa, and Umatilla counties along with small portions of Malheur, Morrow, and Grant counties within the Northeast Oregon Forest Protection District. This area encompasses approximately 2 million acres of protected lands. ODF encourages landowners and the public to help prevent accidental ignitions by taking extra precautions while recreating or working, it can make a difference.
During Fire Season:
- Debris burning is by permit only. To obtain a burn permit for a debris pile or burn barrel, please call your local ODF office.
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- Baker City Sub-Unit: (541) 523-5831
- La Grande Unit: (541) 963-3168
- Pendleton Unit: (541) 276-3491
- Wallowa Unit: (541) 886-2881
- The use of exploding targets, tracer ammunition, or any bullet with a pyrotechnic charge in its base is prohibited.
- Logging and other industrial operations must meet requirements for fire prevention, such as fire tools, water supply, and watchman service when those operations are occurring on lands protected by ODF. Contact your local Stewardship Forester at any NEO District office for more information.
- Campfires must be DEAD OUT! Recreationists are reminded that campfires need to be attended and fully extinguished before being left.
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- Possession of the following firefighting equipment is required; shovel or other firefighting tool, minimum of 1-gallon of water, or 2 ½ pound or larger fire extinguisher and a fire watch at least one hour after extinguishing. Get permission from the landowner prior to starting a campfire.
- The use of Sky Lanterns is always illegal in Oregon.
For information on restrictions across the Northeast Oregon District, dial: (541) 975-3027 or visit www.bmidc.org, for current information on fire restrictions.
To report a fire, dial 9-1-1.
Make sure you know the fire restrictions before you head out. Check with your local Forest Service office for fire regulations on National Forest land, or BLM office for lands managed by the Bureau of Land Management. Information on Public-Use Restrictions on the Oregon Department of Forestry, Umatilla National Forest and Wallowa-Whitman National Forest can be found at http://bmidc.org/index.shtml under Current Information: Fire Restrictions.
June 8, 2023
Fire season will begin in Clatsop County at 1 a.m. on Wednesday, June 14, 2023, according to the Oregon Department of Forestry. Fire season is declared each year when conditions of fire hazard exist. This declaration affects all lands, both public and private, in Northwest Oregon. This is about 2-3 weeks ahead of when fire season typically begins in this area, but the warm and dry weather has resulted in increased fire danger.
Public Use Restriction levels move from low (green) to extreme (red). These are indicated on fire information boards at major roads entering forested areas. Restrictions are identical to last year. In low (green), campfires will be allowed at designated campsites and dispersed campsites. This recognizes that attended campfires adjacent to campsites have a low incident of spread. As conditions dry out, the move to moderate (blue) restricts campfires to designated campsites, and dispersed campfires will no longer be allowed.
In conjunction with the county fire chiefs, a county wide burn ban will be simultaneously in effect.
Open debris burning will not be allowed starting June 14. Burn barrels require a burning permit, which can be obtained through the Oregon Department of Forestry or a local fire department depending on the location of the residence. For rural residences using burn barrels: only metal barrels in good condition covered by heavy mesh screens with holes no larger than ¼ inch are acceptable. A charged water supply and hand tools are required to be on site.
Industrial Fire Precaution levels (IFPL) range from Level 1 to Level 4 with accompanying restrictions on operations to protect forest resources. Restrictions are identical to last year, with a 1 hour fire watch in Level I, a 2 hour fire watch in Level II, and a 2 hour fire watch in Level III. Level 4 is a shutdown, so no fire watch is required. IFPL Zones NW-1, NW-2 and NW-3 will be at a Level 1 on June 14th.
For up-to-date recorded information about fire season requirements, call 503-325-7215. To request a burning permit or obtain additional information, call 503-325-5451 during business hours.
Public Restrictions Website:
https://www.oregon.gov/odf/fire/pages/restrictions.aspx
June 8, 2023
Prineville, Ore. – Fire season on all lands protected by the Oregon Department of Forestry’s (ODF) Central Oregon District will begin June 9, 2023, at 12:01 a.m. Starting this Friday, the district’s fire danger level will be “Moderate”, and the Industrial Fire Precaution Level (IFPL) will be I (one) in MH-4 and MH-1 (Hood River and Wasco counties).
Earlier this year, fire managers were optimistic regarding this year’s fire season due to the higher-than-normal snowpack. However, due to the decline in spring rain, rise in temperatures, and windy conditions, the fine fuels in the district have begun to dry significantly.
So far this year, the district has experienced 22 fires, of which half were escaped debris burns. Debris burning is the number one cause of human-caused fires. As we move into fire season, debris burning will be prohibited. ODF recommends covering your pile until the rainy fall when it’s safer to burn.
With that in mind, the Central Oregon District will begin implementing restrictions based on fire danger level. Moderate fire danger level restricts the following activities:
- No debris burning, including piles and debris burned in burn barrels.
- No fireworks on or within 1/8 of a mile of ODF-protected land.
- Exploding targets and tracer ammunition, or any bullet with a pyrotechnic charge in its base, are prohibited.
- No smoking while traveling through or working in any operation area.
In addition to the fire prevention requirements Under IFPL I (one), the following will go into effect:
- A fire watch is required for a minimum of one hour during breaks and at the end of the operational period.
Additional fire restrictions or regulations may apply depending on the various fire risks throughout the fire season.
The Oregon Department of Forestry urges residents to not become complacent in wildfire prevention. The less human-caused fires we have, the less the district’s resources are strained. For tips on wildfire prevention, visit www.keeporegongreen.org
For more information on the Central Oregon District and fire season regulations, visit https://odfcentraloregon.com/. Check your local restrictions at https://www.oregon.gov/odf/fire/pages/restrictions.aspx.
