Douglas to tighten fire restrictions June 24

June 19, 2015

Due to the heightened fire
danger, the Douglas Forest Protective Association (DFPA) will impose public use
restrictions, also known as a “Regulated-Use Closure,” effective 12:01 a.m.
Wednesday, June 24. The Regulated-Use Closure will be in
effect for all private, county, state and Bureau of Land Management lands protected by DFPA. The Industrial Fire Precaution level (IFPL) will remain at IFPL 1.

While the Regulated-Use Closure doesn’t prohibit public
access to the forest, it does restrict certain fire-prone activities. The following provisions are set to help prevent
wildfires:


Smoking is prohibited while traveling through wildland
areas, except in enclosed vehicles on improved roads.


 

Open fires are prohibited, including campfires,
charcoal fires, cooking fires, and warming fires, except at designated
campgrounds.  Portable cooking stoves using liquefied or bottled
fuels are allowed.  DFPA-designated campgrounds include:


·        
BLM campgrounds: Cavitt Creek,
Eagle View, Lone Pine, Millpond, Rock Creek, Susan Creek and Tyee.

·        
Douglas County Parks Campgrounds: Amacher Park, Douglas County Fairgrounds, Pass Creek, Stanton Park, Chief
Miwaleta and Whistler’s Bend.

Chainsaw use is prohibited between 1:00 p.m. and 8:00
p.m. in areas subject to Industrial Fire Precaution Levels 1 and 2. 
Chainsaw use is permitted at all other hours if the following firefighting
equipment is present with each operating saw: one shovel and one
operational 8 ounce or larger fire extinguisher. In addition, a fire watch
is required for at least one hour following the use of each saw.

Chainsaw use is prohibited in areas subject to
Industrial Fire Precaution Levels 3 and 4.


The use of motor vehicles, including motorcycles and
ATV’s, are prohibited, except on improved roads or for the commercial
culture and harvest of agricultural crops.
 
Possession of the following firefighting equipment is
required while traveling in a motorized vehicle, except on federal and
state highways, county roads, and driveways: one shovel and one
gallon of water or one fully charged and operational 2.5 pound or larger
ABC fire extinguisher. ATV’s and motorcycles must be equipped with
one operational 2.5 pound or larger ABC type fire extinguisher.
 
The use of fireworks is
prohibited.

The cutting, grinding
and welding of metal in wildland areas is prohibited between 12 p.m.
and 8 p.m. Cutting, grinding and welding of metal is permitted at
all other hours, if conducted in a cleared area and with a water supply
present.

The mowing of dried and
cured grass with power driven equipment is prohibited, between the hours
of 12 p.m. and 8 p.m., except for the commercial culture and harvest
of agricultural crops.

Any electric fence controller in use shall be: 1)
Listed by a nationally recognized testing laboratory or be certified by
the Department of Consumer and Business Services; and 2) operated in
compliance with the manufacturer’s instructions.

In addition, the following
activities are prohibited under ORS 477.512 during a declared fire season:


  • The use of exploding targets  
  • The use of sky lanterns
  • The use of tracer ammunition or any bullet with a
    pyrotechnic charge in its base.

In addition to DFPA’s Regulated-Use Closures, private
industrial landowners have the ability to add additional restrictions or
complete closures to their land holdings throughout the summer due to the fire
danger. Recreational forest users are advised to check with the
landowners for the locations they plan to recreate
on, before they head to the woods.


As of June 19, DFPA has suppressed 43 fires
which have burned 248 acres. The number of fires and acres burned are up
from the current 10-year average (January 1 – June 19),
which is 14 fires burning 47 acres.

For more information about public or industrial fire
restrictions on DFPA protected land, call the 24-hr fire information line at
541-672-0379 or visit
www.dfpa.net

News contact: 

Kyle Reed
Fire Prevention
Specialist
Douglas Forest
Protective Association
Office: (541)
672-6507 ext. 136

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