La Grande, OR – The risk of wildfires is increasing rapidly due to warmer and drier weather. In response, the Oregon Department of Forestry (ODF) for the Northeast Oregon District is implementing High Fire Restrictions on land they protect, effective at 12:01 a.m. on Wednesday, July 2, 2025. The primary goal of these additional fire prevention measures is to reduce the risk of human-caused fires. “Forecasts indicate that we will experience typical summer weather in the coming weeks, accompanied by elevated temperatures. Given these conditions and the escalating fire danger, we are enforcing stricter fire restrictions,” stated Justin Lauer, District Forester.
These restrictions affect 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.
The Public Use Restrictions (High Fire Danger) include the following fire prevention measures:
- Open fires are prohibited, including campfires, charcoal fires, cooking fires, and warming fires, except at designated locations.
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- Portable cooking stoves using liquefied or bottled fuels are allowed.
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- Propane fire pits are allowed if they are self-contained and 3 feet away from any flammable fuels with a maximum flame height of 2 feet.
- Non-industrial Chainsaw use is prohibited from noon to 8 p.m.
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- Non-industrial chainsaw use is allowed at all other hours if the following firefighting equipment is present with each operating saw: one shovel or other firefighting tool and one 8-ounce or larger fire extinguisher or 1-gallon of water. In addition, a fire watch is required at least one hour following the end of chainsaw use.
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- Electric Chainsaws are allowed all day.
- Cutting, grinding, and welding of metal is prohibited from Noon-8 p.m. Cutting, grinding, and welding of metal is permitted at all other hours, if conducted in a 10-foot area cleared of flammable vegetation, shovel or other firefighting tool, a minimum of 1-gallon of water, or 2 ½ pound or larger fire extinguisher.
- Mowing dried and cured grass with power-driven equipment is prohibited from noon to 8 p.m., except for the commercial culture and harvest of agricultural crops.
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- Electric string trimmers are allowed all day.
- Any electric fence controller in use shall be: 1) Listed by a nationally recognized testing laboratory or certified by the Department of Consumer and Business Services; and 2) Operated in compliance with the manufacturer’s instructions.
- Possession of the following firefighting equipment is required for any vehicle/UTV/ATV traveling on unimproved roadways where flammable vegetation exists on roadway: shovel or other firefighting tool, minimum of 1-gallon of water, or 2 ½ pound or larger fire extinguisher.
PROHIBITED:
- All open debris burning, and the use of burn barrels.
- Use of fireworks.
- Use of exploding targets.
- Use of tracer ammunition or any bullet with a pyrotechnic charge in its base.
- Smoking while traveling, except in vehicles on improved roads, in boats on the water, or in a cleared area free of flammable vegetation.
- Use of sky lanterns throughout the year in Oregon.
For further information, contact the Oregon Department of Forestry at these local offices:
La Grande Unit (541) 963-3168
Baker City Sub-Unit (541) 523-5831
Wallowa Unit (541) 886-2881
Pendleton Unit (541) 276-3491
Current fire restrictions for forestlands in Northeast Oregon can be found at www.bmidc.org or by calling the Northeast Oregon Fire Prevention line: (541) 975-3027.
http://bluemountainfireinfo.blogspot.com/is your spot for current fire information in the Blue Mountains. Find us on Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/oregondeptofforestryNEO/
Call Blue Mountain Interagency Dispatch at (541)963-7171 or dial 9-1-1 to report a fire.