Whether it’s human nature or just wishful thinking, we tend to relax
our guard against wildfire this time of year at the first signs of the seasonal
transition. In the heart of summer amid triple-digit temperatures, we almost expect
raging blazes like the Oregon Gulch Fire that consumed 1,000 acres an hour at
its peak. While such extreme fire behavior may be less likely now, the dragon
can still breathe flames.
This week, both the Douglas Forest Protective Association and the
Oregon Department of Forestry’s Southwest Oregon District announced a rise in
the Industrial Fire Precaution Level in their jurisdictions due to hot, dry
conditions in the forest. A map charting significant fire potential (http://nfdrs.smkmgt.com/sfp/ODF_Significant_Fire_Potential.htm)
shows most of the state at “high,” with the southwest corner registering “extreme.”
Lands in either classification can spawn a large, destructive fire.
Oregon Department of Forestry’s Southwest Oregon District announced a rise in
the Industrial Fire Precaution Level in their jurisdictions due to hot, dry
conditions in the forest. A map charting significant fire potential (http://nfdrs.smkmgt.com/sfp/ODF_Significant_Fire_Potential.htm)
shows most of the state at “high,” with the southwest corner registering “extreme.”
Lands in either classification can spawn a large, destructive fire.
The potential for dry lightning – the cause of Oregon’s largest fires
– historically diminishes in late summer. As the threat from Nature recedes,
though, human activity comes to the fore as the chief wildfire concern. Forest
fuels are still bone-dry and primed to burn. If we take extra care when
recreating or working in the forest, human-caused fires can be prevented.
– historically diminishes in late summer. As the threat from Nature recedes,
though, human activity comes to the fore as the chief wildfire concern. Forest
fuels are still bone-dry and primed to burn. If we take extra care when
recreating or working in the forest, human-caused fires can be prevented.
The Keep Oregon Green Association (www.keeporegongreen.org/) offers
common-sense advice on how to prevent fires when camping and recreating in the
forest.
common-sense advice on how to prevent fires when camping and recreating in the
forest.