August 26, 2016
Contact: Brian Ballou,
541-621-4156
Night shift firefighters made good progress toward the goal
of completely extinguishing all hot spots 100 feet inside of the fire line
around the Cleveland Ridge Fire. Today, more than 260 day-shift firefighters
continue the task of mopping up smoldering stumps and other vegetation burned
by the fire that began on Monday.
The fire has stabilized at 530 acres and is 60 percent
contained.
Some crews, fire engines and aircraft will be released from
the fire today, as there are other wildfires burning elsewhere in Oregon that
need additional firefighting resources. The fire camp at TouVelle State Park
will stay in place through the weekend and possibly into early next week.
The fire burned on private and Bureau of Land Management
forestland five miles north/northwest of Shady Cove. Rehabilitation projects to
protect the landscape against undue erosion and invasive plants will begin as
mop-up operations penetrate deeper into the burned area.
Information about fire activity and fire prevention
regulations are posted on the “ODF Southwest Oregon District” Facebook page,
@ODFSouthwest, and the website www.swofire.com.
Maps of the Cleveland Ridge Fire can be found at https://swofiredata.com.
###
For info on wildfires in SW Oregon, www.swofire.com
August 25, 2016
Aug. 23, evening
Contact: Brian Ballou,
541-621-4156
Melissa Cano, 541-613-6313
Firefighters are holding the Cleveland Ridge Fire at 635 acres. The fire
burning on private and Bureau of Land Management forestlands north/northwest of
Shady Cove has a fire line completed around 100 percent of the fire and is 25
percent contained as of Wednesday evening.
With the help of aerial support, day shift firefighters made
significant progress on the northern end of the fire. While the fire is still
burning toward the north, night shift crews continued to strengthen the
fire line in order to prepare for the warm temperatures and high winds expected
by Thursday evening.
The Level 2 Be Set) evacuation notice in place is being
reduced to a Level 1 (Be Ready) for residents on Taylor Road
and the West Fork of Trail Creek Road, as well as residents along Highway 227 from
the junction with the West Fork of Trail Creek Road to address 6481 Highway 227. ODF thanks all of the fire agencies in Jackson and Josephine Counties
for their assistance with structural protection. Road blocks and closures on
West Fork of Trail Creek Road are still in place as firefighters continue to
work the Cleveland Ridge Fire.
As a reminder, TouVelle State Park in Central Point is
closed to the public. The park is being used as the site for the fire camp. Please avoid the area due to increased fire traffic, if
possible.
The fire was reported at 4:01 p.m. Monday, and its cause is
under investigation.
Fire management officials ask that the public continue to
use caution and adhere to regulations. Current fire restrictions for lands in
Jackson and Josephine Counties protected by the Oregon Department of Forestry
Southwest Oregon District can be found on the district’s Facebook page at “ODF
Southwest Oregon District,” @ODFSouthwest, and the website www.swofire.com. Maps of the Cleveland Ridge
Fire can be found at https://swofiredata.com.
###
August 18, 2016
This
afternoon firefighters from the South Central Oregon Fire Management Partnership
(SCOFMP) responded to several fires along U.S. Highway 395 and Oregon State
Highway 31 from north of Lakeview to north of Paisley.
There are four fires total.
The largest is the Withers Fire, northwest of Paisley,
which started on Bureau of Land Management Lakeview District lands. The fire is moving towards private and
Fremont-Winema National Forest lands.
It is currently estimated at approx. 800
acres. It is potentially threatening the
town of Paisley and is burning on the southeast side of Winter Rim.
Currently there is a Level 1 Evacuation in place in
Paisley. This means residents should “Be
Ready” for potential evacuation, monitor local media and should make
preparations if an evacuation becomes necessary.
There are 19 fire engines, four bulldozers, one hand crew, three
single-engine air tankers, four heavy air tankers, three helicopters, and a lead plane working the fire this evening. Additional resources have been ordered.
A Type 3 incident management team has been ordered and is
expected to arrive Thursday morning.
The other three fires pose no threat at this
time. The first fire located on Highway 395
was contained at a quarter-acre, and the second fire along the highway was lined
at a little over two acres and is being mopped-up. The J.V fire is located off Hwy 31, west of
the Withers Fire, and is approximately six acres.
Cause of the fires is currently under investigation.
For more information on the Withers Fire, visit https://inciweb.nwcg.gov.
Area visitors are asked to be aware of their surroundings
and to be prepared for changing conditions.
This includes reporting visible smoke that could be from a wildfire.
To report a fire, please call 911.
With hot, dry weather forecast through the end of the week
and into the weekend, fire conditions remain extreme throughout the SCOFMP area. The agencies ask that the public be careful with anything that can throw
a spark while out on federal or state public lands.
Fire danger remains extreme in Lake and Klamath counties. The area is also under Industrial Fire
Precaution Level 3 and there are Public Use Restrictions in place on Forest
Service, BLM and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service lands in the area and Stage 1
Fire Restrictions in effect at Crater Lake National Park.
For more information on the IFPL restrictions, please
visit www.scofmp.org/lifc.shtml. For information on specific restrictions in
areas under Oregon Dept. of Folrestry’s fire protection, please visit www.oregon.gov/ODF/Fire/Pages/Restrictions.aspx. Visitors are also advised to be aware of
Personal Use and Fire Restrictions when planning a visit to their public lands.
For more information on SCOFMP, please visit www.scofmp.org, on Twitter @scofmpfireinfo or
on Facebook at http://facebook.com/scofmpfireinfo.
###
August 13, 2016
Contact: Brian Ballou, ODF SWO District, (541) 621-4156
www.swofire.com
Fire crews worked through the night cooling hot spots and monitoring fire lines on the Redwood Highway Fire in Selma, located on Highway 199 near the California border in southwest Oregon. Cooler nighttime temperatures and calm winds allowed for continued progress to be made on the fire line, which is 87 percent contained. The fire size remains at approximately 50 acres. The cause of the fire is under investigation.
No other fires larger than 100 acres were reported Friday or early Saturday on Oregon Department of Forestry-protected lands.
Just before sunrise today on the Redwood Highway Fire, firefighters discovered a small spot fire 1,000 feet outside of the current fire line. Within minutes, firefighters extinguished the flames and formed a wet line along the perimeter. Throughout the day, ground crews and aircraft will continue to monitor fire activity and watch for burning snags, spotting and flare ups. The goal is to ensure the fire perimeter is 100 percent lined by this evening.
Firefighters working on structural protection this morning uncovered three homes, and at least five outbuildings destroyed by the fire. It was originally thought by fire crews that only two homes were lost on Deer Creek Road in Selma; however, the daylight revealed that there were two homes on one property, a main house and guest house. All residents managed to safely evacuate. Firefighters will continue to search for additional structures damaged or threatened in the burned area.
Deer Creek Road remains under evacuation this morning. Residents on the 975 block and above on Deer Creek Rd. are at a “Be Set” Level 2 evacuation notice. Residents on the 974 block and below on Deer Creek Rd. remain at a “Go” Level 3 evacuation status. The road is closed to the public. After an additional assessment early this afternoon, Incident Command will revisit the option of reopening the road and changing evacuation levels. Residents seeking shelter assistance should visit the evacuation center, located in Cave Junction at 200 W. Watkins Street.
Redwood Highway is open but travelers are advised to drive slowly through the Selma area. Firefighting operations are still occurring next to the road and areas of smoke may be present.
The weather forecast today in southwest Oregon includes a Red Flag Warning for the Rogue River, Applegate River and Illinois River basins. Hot temperatures, 100-105, low relative humidity and potentially strong afternoon winds are expected across the region.
In the rest of Oregon, temperatures along the Coast remain moderate with highs in the mid-70s and lows in the mid-50s. East of the Cascades, high temperatures are expected in low-to-mid 90s and light winds. On Sunday, there is a chance of thunderstorms in the southern Oregon Cascade Range and the Klamath Basin.
August 12, 2016
Aug. 12,
2016
Contacts:
Rod Nichols,
503-945-7425, rod.l.nichols@oregon.gov
Bill Fugate, 541-706-1653, bill.fugate@state.or.us
The Oregon State Police arrested
four suspects on suspicion of starting a fire that burned Aug. 5 on
Weyerhaeuser property along Holaday Road in the Scappoose area. The wildfire,
thought to have resulted from an illegal campfire that spread out of control,
ignited several logging slash piles.
An OSP trooper arrested four males
ranging in age from 19-23 on Aug. 6. They were charged with reckless burning,
trespass and littering. The suspects later confessed to having built the
campfire, which is prohibited under current fire safety rules. OSP obtained
video from social media that shows the individuals at the campfire site. Text
messages accompanying the video contain comments to the effect that they
thought they had extinguished the campfire.
Weyerhaeuser security could file a
complaint against the men. And the Oregon Department of Forestry intends to
take legal action against the suspects to collect fire suppression costs.
Regulated Use rules were in force
when the wildfire occurred and will continue in effect until significant fall
rains allow them to be lifted. These heightened safety restrictions prohibit
campfires and other open fires in order to prevent wildfires during periods of
high fire danger.
“Oregon State Police would
like to remind the public that having a campfire when prohibited is a potential
criminal act,” said OSP’s Bill Fugate. “If an unintended wildland fire occurs,
the crime would be more severe. Please obey fire restrictions so all may enjoy
our forests.”
Firefighting crews worked through
the night last Friday to control the wildfire. No homes were threatened by the
blaze. Scappoose Fire District was assisted in the suppression effort by
Columbia River Fire & Rescue and the Oregon Department of Forestry.
August 12, 2016
Firefighters
were successful Thursday in completing the majority of planned burn-out
operations on the Gibbon Fire, causing the overall acreage to increase to 316
acres. The fire is now 40 percent
contained. Burning has been used to
bring the fire to the indirect fire lines to further secure control lines and
also to provide for firefighter safety.
Objectives
for today include mopping up along fire lines.
A helicopter will be assigned to the fire today to haul out surplus
firefighting equipment and supplies that are no longer needed, as well as
firefighters. Crews will begin being
demobilized from the fire today. At the
end of the shift today, the fire will be transitioned to a Type 4 management
organization staffed by local Oregon Department of Forestry and Umatilla
National Forest personnel. A 10-person
hand crew and one engine will remain on scene for the next few days.
As
the weekend approaches and the public heads outdoors to recreate, they are
reminded that lands protected by the Oregon Department of Forestry are under
public use restrictions.
Fires on Other Jurisdictions
Rail Fire
The
11,800-acre Rail Fire burning 10 miles WSW of Unity is 10 percent
contained.
Orejana Flat Fire
The
897-acre Orejana Flat Fire burning 30 miles NE of Frenchglen is 80 percent
contained.
Juntura Complex
The
24,301-acre Juntura Complex burning 30 miles SW of Vale is 77 percent
contained.
Fire Statistics
Fire
statistics are for the current year and the average over the past 10 years for
the 16 million acres of private and public forestland protected by the Oregon
Department of Forestry.
January 1, 2016, through Friday, Aug. 12, 2016:
Lightning-caused
fires: 59 fires burned 2,218 acres
Human-caused fires: 430 fires burned 463 acres
Total: 488 fires burned 2,681 acres
10-year average (for this
period of the year):
Lightning-caused
fires: 221 fires burned 25,380 acres
Human-caused fires: 414 fires burned 4,206 acres
Total: 635 fires burned 29,586 acres
August 11, 2016
Firefighters
were able to successfully conduct portions of the proposed burnout operations
on the 266-acre Gibbon Fire, contributing to the 72-acre growth over the past
24 hours. The fire is now 30 percent contained. Due to the steep terrain,
fire managers are using burnout tactics to bring the fire to areas where the
risk to firefighters is decreased.
Continued concerns for fire managers include
rolling debris that could carry fire across control lines, and the potential
for torching as fuels continue to dry and winds become an issue. Today,
burnout operations will continue along the east side of the fire, if weather
permits. Fire managers hope to have all burn-out operations completed by
tomorrow evening. Crews will also continue improving fire lines and
mopping up along the perimeter.
Weather conditions in the region will trend
toward warmer and drier. The forecast is calling for highs in the 90s,
increased winds and low relative humidity. Measurements of fire behavior
are climbing, meaning there is a higher risk for active fire behavior through
the weekend. There is also a chance for dry thunderstorms on Sunday.
The public is reminded that lands protected by
the Oregon Department of Forestry and the Umatilla National Forest are under
public use restrictions.
Fires on Other
Jurisdictions
Rail Fire
The 11,503-acre Rail Fire burning 10 miles WSW
of Unity is 10 percent contained.
Orejana Flat Fire
The 897-acre Orejana Flat Fire burning 30 miles
NE of Frenchglen is 80 percent contained.
Juntura Complex
The 24,301-acre Juntura Complex burning 30
miles SW of Vale is 65 percent contained.
Fire
Statistics
Fire statistics are for the current year and
the average over the past 10 years for the 16 million acres of private and
public forestland protected by the Oregon Department of Forestry.
January 1, 2016, through
Thursday, Aug. 11, 2016:
Lightning-caused fires: 59 fires burned 2,218
acres
Human-caused fires: 425 fires burned 463 acres
Total: 483 fires burned 2,681 acres
10-year average (for this
period of the year):
Lightning-caused fires: 215 fires burned 23,848
acres
Human-caused fires: 408 fires burned 4,185 acres
Total: 623 fires burned 28,033 acres
August 10, 2016
Despite
the difficulties of fighting fire in rugged terrain, firefighters made good
headway on the Gibbon Fire yesterday.
The lightning-caused fire is burning in brush and timber near Meacham
Creek/Stumbough Ridge, 20 miles east of Pendleton. The 194-acre fire has burned approximately 80
acres of CTUIR tribal fee lands that are protected by ODF. The remaining 114 acres are on Umatilla
National Forest lands.
Crews
were unable to conduct burning operations yesterday because of cool, wet
weather conditions on the fire. Footing
and rolling material have been concerns for firefighters on this fire. Crews did work to improve fire line along the
Union Pacific Railroad tracks and began mopping up along that line on the
western side of the fire. Crews also
worked to strengthen and improve other sections of the fire line.
Today’s
objectives are to conduct burn-out operations on the north side of the fire to
bring the fire to areas where it is safer for firefighters to work and to
continue mopping-up along the railroad tracks..
The La Grande Interagency Hot Shot Crew, a Type 1 helicopter, a Type 2
helicopter, four engines and one Type 2 hand crew will be working the fire
today. Approximately 60 personnel are
assigned to the fire.
The
fire received some light rains yesterday, but warmer and drier conditions are
forecast to begin today. There’s a
chance of thunderstorms, with some of the storms being dry, this weekend. As this weather pattern and the potential for
lightning approaches, fire managers are asking for help from the public in
observing fire restrictions. Fire restrictions are in place on both ODF
protected lands as well as the Umatilla National Forest.
FIRES
ON OTHER JURISDICTIONS
Bybee
Creek Fire
The
1,072-acre Bybee Creek Fire 18 miles NE of Prospect is now 100
percent contained.
Rail
Fire
The
11,405-acre Rail Fire burning 10 miles WSW of Unity is 10 percent
contained.
Orejana
Flat Fire
The
900-acre Orejana Flat Fire burning 30 miles NE of Frenchglen is 40 percent
contained.
Juntura
Complex
The
24,301-acre Juntura Complex burning 30 miles SW of Vale is 51 percent contained.
Trail
Creek Fire
The
250-acre Trail Creek Fire burning 22 miles ESE of Baker City is 50 percent
contained.
FIRE
STATISTICS:
Fire
statistics are for the current year and the average over the past 10 years for
the 16 million acres of private and public forestland protected by the Oregon
Department of Forestry.
January
1, 2016, through Wednesday, Aug. 10, 2016:
Lightning-caused
fires: 59 fires burned 2,218 acres
Human-caused fires: 423 fires burned 46 acres
Total: 482 fires burned 2,678 acres
10-year average (for this period of the year):
Lightning-caused fires: 209 fires burned 21,749 acres
Human-caused fires: 403 fires burned 4,181 acres
Total: 612 fires burned 25,930 acres
August 9, 2016
Steep
terrain continues to challenge firefighters on the 100-acre lightning sparked
Gibbon Fire. The fire is burning in brush and timber stringers in the
area of Meacham Creek/Stumbough Ridge, about 20 miles east of Pendleton. The
fire originated on Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation
(CTUIR) fee lands that are protected by Oregon Department of Forestry.
ODF is leading the management of this fire in conjunction with the Umatilla
National Forest with a Type 3 management organization. Cooperators also
include the Union Pacific Railroad and CTUIR.
Yesterday
crews worked to build direct fire lines where it was safe to do so, and to
construct indirect fire line to support burning operations. Because of
the difficult terrain, fire managers feel that burning will bring the fire to
areas where it is safer for firefighters to directly engage on the fire.
Two helicopters helped crews on the ground yesterday by slowing fire spread and
cooling hotspots, as well as supporting burning operations along the east and
north sides.
Today’s
objectives are to continue burning out on the north side of the fire, if
weather conditions allow. Also, continuing to secure the line along the
railroad tracks and mopping up that portion of the fire is a priority for fire
managers. The La Grande Interagency Hot Shot Crew, a Type 1 helicopter, a
Type 2 helicopter, six engines and a Type 2 hand crew will be working the fire
today. Approximately 51 personnel are assigned to the fire.
While
temperatures the past two days has been more moderate and the fire received
light rainfall, the return to warmer and dry conditions is expected mid-week,
with the potential for more thunderstorms this weekend.
Fire
managers would like to remind people that fire restrictions are in place on
ODF-protected lands.
FIRE
STATISTICS:
Fire
statistics are for the current year and the average over the past 10 years for
the 16 million acres of private and public forestland protected by the Oregon
Department of Forestry.
January
1, 2016, through Tuesday, Aug. 9, 2016:
Lightning-caused
fires: 59 fires burned 2,218 acres
Human-caused fires: 418 fires burned 468 acres
Total: 477 fires burned 2,686 acres
10-year average (for this period of the year):
Lightning-caused fires: 200 fires burned 19,825 acres
Human-caused fires: 398 fires burned 4,177 acres
Total: 598 fires burned 24,002 acres
August 8, 2016
Contact: Jamie Knight, 541-786-2039
Thunderstorms in northeastern Oregon sparked several fires over the weekend. The storms, which started Friday evening and lasted into Sunday morning, were mostly dry, with little to no rain reaching the ground. Oregon Department of Forestry firefighting resources responded to numerous fires on ODF-protected lands and also assisted cooperators with several other fires.
La Grande/Baker Unit Thorn Creek: A one-tenth-acre fire near Thief Valley Reservoir; lightning caused; now controlled and contained.
Smith Creek: A one-tenth-acre fire near the East Fork of Birch Creek; lightning caused; controlled and contained.
The following fires are being managed by the High Desert Type 3 Incident Management Team as a complex located near Pedro Mountain in Baker County:
Pedro Mountain Fire: Seven acres; lightning caused; controlled.
Pedro Mountain 2 Fire: Approximately two acres; lightning caused; controlled. - North Dixie Creek Fire: Approximately two acres; lightning caused; controlled.
Tater Gulch Fire: Approximately one-half acre; lightning caused; controlled.
In addition, ODF resources assisted the Lookout/Glasgow Rangeland Fire Protection Association on the Hole in the Wall Fire near Richland, Oregon. This fire is approximately 100 acres in size, burning in grass and sagebrush. The fire is now controlled and contained.
Northeast Oregon District and Baker Unit resources are also continuing to assist on the Rail Fire near Unity, Oregon. ODF resources are working with the Northwest Incident Management Team 12 to minimize exposure and continued impacts to private lands. There has been no further growth on private lands. Approximately eight acres of private lands have burned to date. Cause of the fire is under investigation.
Pendleton Unit Gibbon Fire: Approximately 50 acres. The fire originated on tribal fee lands protected by ODF. Approximately 12 acres are burning on lands protected by ODF. The remainder of the fire is on the Umatilla National Forest. The fire is embedded in a brushy timber stringer, which will challenge firefighters today. The Gibbon Fire is on extremely steep ground. Cause is lightning. ODF resources including two Single-Engine Air Tankers (SEATs), which responded to this fire on Sunday. A Type 1 helicopter, a Type 2 helicopter and an Interagency Hotshot crew have been assigned to the fire for today. The fire is being managed by a combination of interagency resources.
Fire resources have been spread thin around the region, so minimizing human-caused fire starts is important. The public is reminded that ODF is currently in Regulated-Use Closure in the Northeast Oregon District, and federal lands are currently under public use restrictions. Current fire restrictions for forestlands in Northeast Oregon can be found at www.bmidc.org
http://bluemountainfireinfo.blogspot.com/ is the spot for current fire information in the Blue Mountains.
August 8, 2016
While lightning raked eastern Oregon over the weekend, aggressive
initial attack kept most of the fire starts small on ODF-protected lands. The
Gibbon Fire, which originated on ODF protection and is burning about half on
the Northeast Oregon District and half on National Forest lands, is the largest
blaze involving state protection to result from the thunderstorm activity. It
is estimated at 40 to 50 acres and is uncontained, burning in steep, rugged
terrain. The La Grande Hotshots are being dispatched to the fire today. The Klamath-Lake
District was successful in stopping nine other lightning starts at small size.
August 1, 2016
Contacts:
Randall Baley
Klamath Falls
541-883-5681
Dustin
Gustaveson
Lakeview
541-947-3311
The Oregon Department of Forestry’S Klamath-Lake District encourages forest
users to continue to exercise caution and avoid starting a wildfire. The district
has experienced some cooler than normal weather through most of July, but the
conditions have changed rapidly with the current hot and dry period. The trend
of mid-summer temperatures well into the 80s and 90s with no moisture looks to
continue for awhile.
“It is time to go into Extreme Fire Danger Level,” said Randall Baley, protection
unit forester. “We still want to encourage the summer family traditions and fun
in camping and recreating but also ask people to keep in mind preventive
details to reduce potential for accidental fire starts.”
The Klamath-Lake District has been in Public Regulated Use Restrictions
since July 1, which fall on all private, county and state lands protected by
the district in Klamath and Lake Counties, including Bureau of Land Management
lands west of the Gerber Reservoir area.
Under the Public
Regulated Use Closure on ODF-protected lands:
§ Smoking in wildland areas is permitted only in enclosed
vehicles or improved roads.
§ Camping, cooking or warming fires are prohibited, except
in the following designated locations:
– Klamath County – Topsy Campground (BLM), Surveyor
Campground (BLM), Collier State Park,
Kimball State Park, Hagelstein Park (county) and posted sites in the Klamath River Canyon.
– Lake County – Gooselake State
Park.
Portable
cooking stoves using liquefied or bottled fuels are permitted at all locations.
§ Chainsaw use is prohibited between the hours of 1 p.m.
and 8 p.m.
§ Use of motor vehicles, including motorcycles and
all-terrain vehicles, is prohibited, except on improved roads. Possession of a
shovel at least 26 inches long and a 2.5 lb. fire extinguisher or larger, or
filled gallon water container, is required while traveling in a motorized
vehicle, except on state and county roads.
§ Debris Burning was banned June 3 in Klamath and Lake
Counties when fire season was declared and remains in effect.
§ Cutting, grinding and welding of metal is prohibited. (For landowners and/or their employee(s)
thereof, conducting activities associated with their livelihood, cutting, grinding
and welding is prohibited between the hours of 1 p.m and 8 p.m.)
§ Use of fireworks is prohibited.
###
July 31, 2016
Saturday evening, July 30, 2016
July 31, 2016
The Weigh Station Fire reported Saturday afternoon in the Oregon Dept. of Forestry’s Pendleton Unit had spread to 400-plus acres by evening. Resources fighting the fire include: one heavy air tanker, 10 single-engine air tankers, two helicopters, 12 fire engines, three bulldozers and three hand crews. The fire is uncontained. Cause is under investigation.
July 31, 2016
The 40-plus acre Weigh Station Fire was reported burning in the Oregon Department of Forestry’s Pendleton Unit Saturday afternoon. Resources fighting the fire include three heavy tankers, six single-engine air tankers, two helicopters, six fire engines, two hand crews and two bulldozers. Cause is under investigation.
July 29, 2016
Douglas Forest Protective Association firefighters responded to the Richardson Road Fire, a
natural cover fire, Thursday afternoon about four miles north of Myrtle
Creek. DFPA was joined by Myrtle Creek Fire Department, Dillard
Fire Department, and Douglas County Fire District 2 in the suppression effort on the fast-moving grass fire. The blaze threatened two structures, a barn, and several out
buildings, but no damage was reported. Firefighters stopped the fire at two
acres and remained on scene through the evening mopping up
hot spots and securing control lines. Cause is under investigation.
July 22, 2016
The 12,500-acre Creed Fire 20 miles east of the town of Wasco is evidence that the seasonal transition has taken hold across much of Oregon. The blaze reported July 21 is burning in grass and brush fuels on Bureau of Land Management lands. Cause is under investigation. The Creed Fire serves as a reminder to Oregonians to be especially careful when working and recreating in the outdoors.
July 11, 2016
Last week’s cooler weather accompanied by rain in most areas calmed wildfire activity statewide. ODF’s field districts worked on firefighting readiness to prepare for the expected seasonal upturn in fire starts. Oregon and Washington currently have 116 private contract 20-person hand crews available for dispatch to fires. ODF’s helicopters and air tankers stand ready, along with fire engines and crews.
The absence of dry lightning has reduced the No. of new fires seen at this point over the past three seasons. Fire managers remind the public to be “fire aware” while enjoying Oregon’s forests.
July 9, 2016
News Release
July 8, 2016
Contact: Christie Shaw, ODF Central Oregon District Public Information Officer
christie.shaw@oregon.gov
541-263-0661
While central Oregon is in a pattern of cooler than normal weather, and has received precipitation over the last twenty-four hours, fire danger remains high. The US Drought Monitor for Oregon issued on July 7, 2016, indicates that most lands within the Central Oregon District (COD) fall into the “abnormally dry” category. This reflects what fire managers are seeing in the forest and current fuel moisture conditions. Now into Oregon’s fifth year of drought conditions, we continue to see the long term affects to the down material and live vegetation stressed from limited water.
For the next few days firefighters will benefit from the moisture, because it will be more difficult for a “spark” to ignite a fire and rapidly spread. This is because of the increased moisture in the fine fuels, but these fuels will quickly dry out even with the moderate temperatures expected over the next few days. “The biggest concern for us now, during the heart of fire season, is that someone assumes the rain has made it safe to burn. When surrounding fuels dry out in the days following a debris burn, the remnants of that debris burn rekindle and spread to wildland fuels while no one is watching”,
states Mike Shaw, Central Oregon District Forester.
Debris burning is not allowed on lands protected by the Central Oregon District of the Oregon Department of Forestry. Contact information for your local ODF Office can be found on ODF’s Central Oregon District website: www.ODFcentraloregon.com.
COD remains in a Regulated Use Closure intended to reduce human caused fires. Year to date there have been thirty-six human caused fires within the District, primarily related to debris burning. This number is significantly higher than the ten year average of twenty-eight (for the same time period). These fires are preventable, causing concern for firefighters and fire managers. While fire managers have the ability to use modern technology to track thunderstorms and staff with additional resources, human caused fires do not allow that as they occur at random times.
Please report fires to your local 911 dispatch center.
###
July 1, 2016
News Release
June 30, 2016
Doug Grafe, 503-945-7204, doug.grafe@oregon.gov
Jamie Paul, 503-945-7435, Jamie.l.paul@oregon.gov
Rod Nichols, 503-945-7425, rod.l.nichols@oregon.gov
The Oregon Department of Forestry has received final recommendations of the 2015-16 Fire Program Review Committee, focused on improving Oregon’s “complete and coordinated wildfire protection system.”
The recommendations conclude a seven-month process and represent the most comprehensive review of the Department’s fire program in over a decade. Made up of forest landowners and operators, legislators, governor’s staff and agency partners, the committee proposed changes in three categories: sustainable large fire funding, sustainable wildfire organization, and wildfire policy.
Sustainable large fire funding recommendations included:
• Exploring the creation of a trust fund to pay the public share of large wildfire suppression costs on fires within ODF’s jurisdiction and for reducing wildland fire risk;
• Continuing the purchase of an annual catastrophic wildfire insurance policy to cover firefighting budget overruns in severe seasons, and also examine other insurance products;
• Conducting a study of the cost equity of the state’s protection of west side Bureau of Land Management lands from wildfire.
Sustainable wildfire organization recommendations included exploring several options to improve the state’s “complete and coordinated wildfire protection system” as well as an option to increase “fire severity” funding by $1.5 million. This would add dollars to the Special Purpose Appropriation, spending authority provided by the Legislature to fund additional firefighting resources during severe wildfire seasons.
Wildfire policy improvements concentrated on the agency partnering to conduct new risk analysis studies. Recommended studies include one to determine the potential of wildfire to move across ownership boundaries, used to allow forest managers to prioritize landscape-level fuels treatments; a study to compare the cost of fighting wildfires in the wildland-urban interface vs. pure forestland and a study to improve prescribed forest burning opportunities and efficiencies. Prescribed burning is a proven tool to reduce wildfire hazards by removing excess forest vegetation. The committee also recommended that the agency continue to foster coordination between Rangeland Fire Protection Associations and the BLM and other partners with the aim to strengthen fire suppression capability on Oregon’s rangelands. Privately owned rangelands east of the Cascades do not receive wildfire protection from the state.
The full “2015/2016 Fire Program Review Committee Report to the State Forester” is available on the ODF website, Oregon.gov/odf.
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