ODF’s Central Oregon District entered fire season today. Warm, dry conditions at the end of May and early June prompted the declarations. Central Oregon joins the Walker Range Fire Patrol Association in northern Klamath County and ODF’s Southwest Oregon and Klamath-Lake districts in declaring fire season underway. Portions of 15 counties are
now affected by fire prevention restrictions:
- Crook
- Deschutes
- Gilliam
- Grant
- Harney
- Hood River
- Jackson,
- Jefferson
- Josephine
- Klamath
- Lake
- Morrow
- Umatilla
- Wheeler
- Wasco
ODF-protected lands covered by the declaration
include state, private, county, city forestland, as well as Bureau of Land
Management (BLM) forestlands in western Oregon.
Fire season
restrictions in all four areas include season-long bans on several fire-prone activities.
Among these are debris burning, and use of exploding targets and tracer
ammunition. During declared fire seasons, industrial operators also must follow
fire season regulations and have fire tools and equipment at forestland sites
where they work.
Central Oregon experienced a drier spring than the rest of the state, leading to an earlier risk of fire than parts of the state that received heavy rain and snow.
“In a large district like Central Oregon, the level of fire danger can vary from place to place depending on a lot of factors, such as elevation, northern or southern aspect and type of fuel,” said District Forester Mike Shaw of ODF’s Central Oregon District. “Declaring fire season is a heads up for people to be extra careful about activities that could spark a fire.”
For additional information on ODF’s Central Oregon District, including contact information and unit offices, please visit www.ODFcentraloregon.com.
As of June
6 ,87 fires have been reported on ODF-protected lands in Oregon. This is fewer fires to date statewide than the 10-year average for this time of year. These fires burned just
over 101 acres. More than 70 of the fires were caused by people. Three-fifths
occurred in southern and central Oregon ODF districts.
Other ODF
protection districts will declare fire season as conditions warrant. For the
latest on specific restrictions in your area, check with your local ODF office or
log onto www.oregon.gov/ODF/Fire/Pages/Restrictions.aspx.