July 1, 2016
June 30, 2016
Prineville, Ore–Lands protected by ODF’s Central Oregon District (COD) will be placed under a Regulated Use Closure beginning Friday July 1, 2016 at 12:01 am. The Regulated Use Closure applies to private, county, and state owned lands protected by COD in Deschutes, Grant, Hood River, Wasco, Wheeler, Crook, Jefferson, Morrow, Harney, Umatilla, Lake, and Gilliam counties. The intent of the Closure is to limit human caused wildfires. Recent high temperatures have dried wildland fuels and increased the danger of large fire growth. Human caused fires in COD are above the ten year average for the District, w hich concerns fire managers as we enter the heart of fire season with dry fuels, warm temperatures and an increasing possibility of lightning caused fires.
The full Regulated Use Closure Proclamation can be found on the Central Oregon District website: www.ODFcentraloregon.com. The official Closure includes, but is not limited to the following activities:
* Smoking is prohibited while traveling, except in vehicles on improved roads.
* Open fires are prohibited, including campfires, charcoal fires, cooking fires and warming fires, except in designated areas. A map of designated areas is available on COD’s website under Fire Information. Portable cooking stoves using liquefied or bottled fuels are allowed.
* Chainsaw use is prohibited, between the hours of 1:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m. Chainsaw use is permitted at all other hours, if the following firefighting equipment is present with each operating saw: one axe, one shovel, and one operational 8 ounce or larger fire extinguisher. In addition, a fire watch is required at least one hour following the use of each saw.
* Use of motor vehicles, including motorcycles and all-terrain vehicles, is prohibited, except on improved roads and except for vehicle use by a landowner and employees of the landowner upon their own land while conducting activities associated with their livelihood.
* 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 operational 2?1/2 pound or larger fire extinguisher, except all-terrain vehicles and motorcycles which must be equipped with an approved spark arrestor in good working condition.
* Mowing of dried grass with power driven equipment is prohibited, between the hours of 10:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m., except for the commercial culture and harvest of agricultural crops.
* Use of fireworks and blasting is prohibited.
Open fires are allowed by permit only, please contact your local ODF office for information. Exploding targets, tracer ammunition and sky lanterns are prohibited during fire season.
For information on restrictions on public lands contact your local US Forest Service ranger district office or Bureau of Land Management district office.
Contact Info:
Christie Shaw
Public Information Officer
541-263-0661
christie.shaw@oregon.gov
###
July 1, 2016
News Release
June 30, 2016
Contact: Pat MacMeekin
541-929-9165
Patrick.a.macmeekin@oregon.gov
Due to increasing fire danger, the Oregon Department of Forestry has officially declared that fire season will go into effect at 1 a.m. Tuesday, July 5, in the West Oregon District. This area includes private, state, county and Bureau of Land Management forestlands protected by ODF in Benton, Polk, Lincoln and southern Yamhill counties.
Fire season requirements will be in effect for industrial operations occurring in the West Oregon District. Operations are required to have fire prevention and firefighting equipment at the operation site and provide a fire watch on each operation after equipment is shut down. This includes: fire tools and fire tool box for the operation, as well as fire tools and extinguishers for vehicles. Operations must meet the water supply requirements, pump requirements, power saw requirements, spark arrester requirements, and cable operation requirements.
In addition, open burning has been banned in Benton and Polk counties. These bans are implemented in cooperation with local fire defense boards and ODF, and will remain in effect until significant rains begin in the fall.
Fire season is declared each year based on weather conditions and fire danger. As forest vegetation dries due to warmer temperatures and less rain, fire danger increases. As the fire season progresses, further restrictions will be put in effect on both public and forest operations to reduce the chance of wildfires. Extra precautions need to be taken by forest users and forest workers to prevent fires from starting.
For more information on fire season requirements, contact the West Oregon District at:
541-929-3266 Philomath Office
503-934-8146 Dallas Office
541-366-2273 Toledo Office
Or visit the Oregon Dept. of Forestry website at www.oregon.gov/ODF
###
June 29, 2016
Due to the continued hot and
dry weather, the Douglas Forest Protective Association will impose a “Regulated Use Closure” effective 12:01 a.m.
Friday, July 1. The Public Fire Restrictions will be in
effect on all 1.6 million acres of private, county, state and Bureau of Land Management lands
protected by DFPA. The Industrial Fire Precaution level (IFPL) will
remain at Level 1 for the Douglas District.
Under DFPA’s Public Fire
Restrictions, the following provisions are set to help prevent wildfires:
·
Smoking is
prohibited while traveling, except in vehicles on improved roads, in boats on
the water, and at other designated locations.
·
Open fires are
prohibited, including campfires, charcoal fires, cooking fires and warming
fires, except at designated locations. Portable cooking stoves using
liquefied or bottled fuels are allowed. DFPA’s 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.
·
The use of
fireworks is prohibited.
·
Motor vehicles,
including motorcycles and all-terrain vehicles, are only allowed on improved
roads free of flammable vegetation, except for the culture and harvest of
agricultural crops. In addition, each vehicle traveling on forest roads
must have a shovel and one gallon of water or one operational 2-½ lb. or
larger fire extinguisher. All-terrain vehicles and motorcycles must be
equipped with one operational 2-½ lb.or larger fire extinguisher.
·
Electric
fence controllers must be approved by a nationally recognized testing
laboratory or be certified by the Oregon Department of Consumer and Business Services,
and be installed and used in compliance with the fence controller’s
instructions for fire safe operation.
·
Chainsaws may not be used between 10 a.m. and 8 p.m. During other hours, chainsaw users must have a shovel and an 8-oz. or larger fire extinguisher at the job
site, and a one-hour fire watch is required after the saw is shut down.
·
Mowing
of dead or dry grass with power-driven equipment will not be allowed between
10 a.m. and 8 p.m. This restriction does not include mowing of green
lawns, or equipment used for the commercial culture and harvest of agricultural
crops.
·
The
cutting, grinding or welding of metal will not be allowed between 10 a.m.
and 8 p.m. These activities will be allowed during other hours provided the
work site is cleared of potentially flammable vegetation and other materials,
and a water supply is at the job site.
In
addition to DFPA’s Public Fire Restrictions, 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 Public
Fire Restrictions, 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 heading to the woods.
For more information about
public or industrial fire restrictions on DFPA protected land, call DFPA’s 24-hour information line at 541-672-0379 or visit www.dfpa.net
###
June 23, 2016
The War Canyon Fire was reported around 12:30 PM Wednesday burning in grass and brush on ODF-protected lands two miles east of Long Creek, Ore. Oregon Department of Forestry fire-fighting resources from the Central Oregon District’s John Day Unit were assisted by firefighters from the Long Creek Rural Fire Department. Firefighters stopped the fire spread at approximately 20 acres.
ODF resources on scene included four engines, a four-person hand crew, and the incident commander. Firefighting personnel will continue the mop-up process today to extinguish heat within the fire perimeter.
The cause of the War Canyon Fire is under investigation.
No other fires 10 acres in size or larger were reported yesterday on ODF-protected lands.
June 20, 2016
The mild weather over the past several days has given firefighters a break. But summer officially arrived June 19, and a seasonal warming and drying trend now underway is expected to increase the potential for new fire starts. It’s a great time of year to enjoy Oregon’s forests, but please practice fire safety as you recreate.
June 12, 2016
Akawana
Fire Quick Facts
June
11, 2016 9 p.m.
Fire Information:
Facebook: facebook.com/odfcentraloregon
Twitter: @centralORFire
Type of Incident: Wildfire
Cause: Lightning
Date of Origin: June 7,
2016
Location: Akawana
Butte, 13 miles North of Sisters
Types of
Fuel: Grass,
Brush and Timber
Structures Threatened: 912
Structures Damaged: 0
Residences Destroyed: 0
Current Size: 2094
acres
Percent Containment: 72%
Number of Personnel: 595
Hand Crews: 22
Fire engines 17
Bulldozers 6
Water Tenders 1
Skidgines 4
(track equipment with a water tank and pump)
Helicopters 6
Note: The Oregon State Fire Marshal’s Incident
Management Team and structural task forces working under the Conflagration Act have
been released today to return to their home areas. The threat to structures has
decreased significantly and conditions continue to improve. OSFM’s Green IMT
will remain on the incident through this morning to help ensure a smooth
transition.
Cooperators: Oregon Department of Forestry, Oregon
State Fire Marshal, US Forest Service, Lake Chinook Fire District, Crooked
River National Grasslands, Central Oregon Fire Management Services, Deschutes
and Jefferson counties, PGE/Warm Springs Tribes Land Ownership
###
June 8, 2016
At
1:40 p.m. Wednesday, Gov. Kate Brown invoked the Emergency Conflagration
Act in response to the Akawana Fire near Three Rivers. Officials report the
fire began at about 2 p.m. on Tuesday, June 6, and has spread quickly. A
Level 2 pre-evacuation notice was issued today to Three Rivers residents.
“To ensure the safety of Jackson County residents, and given the dry and
windy conditions on the ground, I am invoking an emergency declaration to make
additional state resources available to firefighters and local first
responders,” Brown said.
In accordance with ORS 476.510-476.610, Gov. Brown determined that a threat
to life, safety, and property exists due to the fire and the threat exceeds the
firefighting capabilities of local firefighting personnel and equipment.
The Governor’s declaration authorizes the Oregon Office of State Fire Marshal
to mobilize resources to assist local resources battling the fire.
June 8, 2016
The 2,000-acre Akawana Fire
reported June 7 is burning 13 miles north of the town of Sisters in the Oregon
Dept. of Forestry’s Central Oregon District on private lands. ODF has
dispatched an incident management team to the fire. It will take over command
of the firefighting operation from local ODF forces Thursday morning, with the
incident command post to be located at the ODF office in Sisters. The fire is
burning in heavy brush and beetle-killed ponderosa pine fuels.
Terrain
is moderate, enabling bulldozers to build fire line effectively. The fire
burned actively Tuesday evening with steady winds promoting spread. ODF fire managers
expect continued growth over the next 24 hours as wind is forecast to persist.
The
fire is threatening approximately 1,200 homes in the Three Rivers subdivision
near Lake Billy Chinook. Gov. Kate Brown has invoked
the Oregon Conflagration Act to provide added protection to homes and other
structures. The Conflagration Act authorizes structural firefighters and
equipment from around the state to assist local fire departments in battling
the fire.
In addition, the Oregon State Fire Marshal has dispatched a structural incident
management team to the fire to assist with protection of homes and other
structures.
June 7, 2016
The following two wildfires are burning on Bureau of Land Management and U.S. Forest Service lands respectively:
Owyhee
Canyon Fire – The 20,500-acre fire
is burning 38 miles SW of Jordan Valley, Ore., on the Vale BLM District.
It is 50 percent contained. It was reported the afternoon of June 5. Cause:
lightning. Resources include: 25 fire engines, 4 water tenders, 2 dozers, 4
Snake River Valley hand crews, 1 hot shot crew and miscellaneous air resources.
According to Marvin Vetter, the Jordan Valley Rangeland Protection Association has been assisting on the
fire since Saturday. More wind and lightning are forecast for today.
Draw Fire – The 400-acre fire is burning 20 miles NE
of Chiloquin on the Fremont-Winema NF. It is uncontained. It was reported the
morning of June 5. Winds carried the blaze over a control line and spot fires
started beyond the fire line. Cause: under investigation. Resources include: 75
firefighters, various air tankers and helicopters. The South Central Oregon
Fire Management Partnership Type 3 IMT is scheduled to take over the fire the morning of June 7.
June 3, 2016
[Following is a report from the Oregon State Fire Marshal’s Office on the status of a fire in the town of Mosier, Oregon. The Oregon Dept. of Forestry has fire engines on scene to protect wildlands in the vicinity of the fire.]
– 3:40 p.m. Friday, June 3, 2016 –
The OSFM has activated its Agency Operations Center for the
purpose of managing information and communication regarding the Wasco County
Train Derailment near the city of Mosier, Oregon.
Current information indicates that there was a derailment of
11 cars of a Union Pacific crude oil train near the city of Mosier,
Oregon. On scene personnel indicate that one tank car is
burning.
A unified command has been established between Mosier Rural
Fire and Mid-Columbia Fire and Rescue.
OSFM Hazmat Emergency Response Team # 3 from Gresham is
responding along with resources from Union Pacific
Railroad and Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railroad, and
additional local, state, and federal resources.
Schools in Mosier have been evacuated and are being taken to
Wahtonka campus in The Dalles.
Law enforcement is assisting with evacuations of threatened
homes within a one-half mile radius of the incident. Those residents are also being accepted at the Wahtonka campus in
The Dalles.
The Oregon Department of Transportation has closed I-84
westbound at The Dalles, MP 87, and eastbound at Mosier, MP 64. ODOT says
traffic should detour to Washington SR 14.
Union Pacific and Burlington Northern railroads are
deploying foam trailers and other supporting equipment to the incident.
###
June 3, 2016
Contact: Brian Ballou, (541) 665-0662 or (541) 621-4156
Fire season begins Friday, June 3, at 12:01 a.m. on lands
protected by the Oregon Department of Forestry’s Southwest Oregon District.
Lands affected by this declaration include state, private, county, city, and
Bureau of Land Management forestlands in Jackson and Josephine counties.
The public regulated use fire danger level will be
“moderate” (blue) and the Industrial Fire Precaution Level will be 1 (one).
Last year, fire season started on June 5 and ended October
28. A total of 255 fires burned on lands protected by the Southwest Oregon
District, and blackened 347 acres. More than 200 of those fires were started by
people and 53 fires by lightning. According to the 10-year average of fires on
the district, 230 fires may burn more than 5,600 acres during fire season.
The 2016 fire season may be another very active one. A good
snowpack in the Cascade Range and the Siskiyou Mountains recharged most of the
southwest Oregon region’s reservoirs, but may have little positive effect on
wildfire activity in the district, most of which covers low-elevation grass and
brush lands and mid-elevation forests. Residual snowpack is at higher
elevations on national forest and national park lands.
While spring was reasonably wet, it was also 6-8 degrees
warmer than normal. Abundant grass and weed growth across the district will
provide plenty of fuel for wildfires, once the vegetation fully cures. In
addition, tree mortality from the drought has left numerous dead and dying
trees scattered across the landscape. These may moderately increase the severity
of forest fires in some parts of the district.
Beginning Friday, the burning of debris piles and the use of
burn barrels for burning debris will no longer be allowed. Other public
regulated use restrictions on ODF-protected forestlands include:
·
No fireworks;
·
No tracer ammunition or exploding targets;
·
No sky lanterns.
Under Industrial Fire Precaution Level 1 on ODF-protected
lands, commercial operations, such as timber harvesting conducted on
forestlands, will be required to have fire suppression equipment on the job
site at all times. A watchman must also be provided.
For more information about the Oregon Department of
Forestry’s fire season regulations, please call or visit the Southwest Oregon
District unit office nearest to you:
·
Medford Unit, 5286 Table Rock Rd., Central
Point. (541) 664-3328
·
Grants Pass Unit, 5375 Monument Dr., Grants
Pass. (541) 474-3152
###
June 1, 2016
[Klamath Falls]—Fire officials in Klamath
and Lake Counties will officially declare fire season beginning Friday, June
3, 2016, at 12:01 a.m. on lands
protected by the Oregon Department of Forestry’s Klamath-Lake District.
Areas protected by the Walker Range Forest Protective Association, northern
Klamath County, have been in a declared fire season since Wednesday, June 1,
2016 at 12:01 a.m. This affects all
private, county, state forestlands, and those Bureau of Land Management (BLM)
lands under contract and agreement west of the Gerber Reservoir area and HWY
97.
“Despite fairly cool and spring like
weather for a good portion of May, these current hot and dry conditions look to
continue thru the first weeks of June, so it’s time to prohibit all outdoor
burning and put normal industrial restrictions in place.” Stated Randall Baley,
Protection Unit Forester, Oregon Department of Forestry.
The “Fire Season in effect” declaration puts into place
regulations restricting debris burning and forest operations. Wildland and
structural fire protection agencies in Klamath County have agreed to prohibit
all outdoor debris burning as do the agencies in Lake County
unless a permit is first obtained. Forest operations that require a Permit to Operate Power Driven
Machinery now are required to have Fire tools, on-site water supply,
and watchman service on privately owned forest
land.
In addition to the “Declaration of Fire
Season,” ODF and the Klamath Resource Area of the Bureau of Land Management
will be placing the Klamath River Canyon area from the Keno Dam to the
State Line in a “Regulated Closure.” The Closure stipulates the following:
1) Possession
of the following fire-fighting equipment is required while traveling in the
forest, except on state and county roads: an ax, a shovel, and one gallon of
water or one 2-½ lb. or larger fire extinguisher.
·
“Ax” means a wood cutting tool having a handle
of not less than 26 inches in length and a head weight of not less than 2
pounds.
·
“Shovel,”
means a digging tool having a handle not less than 26 inches in length and a
blade of not less than 8 inches in width.
2) Smoking
in wildland areas is permitted only in enclosed vehicles on roads. Smoking is prohibited while working or
traveling in an industrial operation area.
3) Open
fires, including campfires, charcoal fires, cooking fires and warming fires,
are permitted only at posted and designated sites.
4) Non-Industrial
Chainsaw usage is prohibited between 1 p.m. and 8 p.m.
5) Fireworks
usage is prohibited within the Closure Area.
The Klamath River Canyon has been placed
under this Regulated Closure due to its lower elevation, drier fuels, and steep
terrain.
May 31, 2016
May 31, 2016
Contact:
Kristin Babbs, president
Keep Oregon Green Association
503-945-7499, Kristin.a.babbs@oregon.gov
Many Oregonians have good
intentions when they set out to eliminate the fire hazards around the home. But
the way they go about it may actually start a wildfire. Using the right tool in
the right place at the right time is crucial during clean-up. Get any of these
wrong, and the outcome could be disastrous.
In late July 2015, the Stouts Creek
Fire in SW Oregon ignited, eventually growing to more than 26,000 acres and
costing millions of dollars to put out. The blaze was caused by a resident
mowing dry grass, with the probable intention to reduce the fire hazard.
Spring is the time to clean up
excess vegetation, not during the summer when fuels are dry and susceptible to
a spark from a steel blade striking a rock or emitted by a hot exhaust system.
Improper equipment use ranks as the No. 2 cause of wildfires on state-protected
lands in Oregon.
For more information on doing spring clean-up safely, go to:
http://oregonforestry.wpengine.com/archives/1459
###
May 16, 2016
The 13-acre Wanless White Fire reported Friday morning burning about 10 miles northwest of McMinnville on private lands in the Oregon Department of Forestry’s Forest Grove District was fully contained by 5 p.m. that day. Cause of the fire remains under investigation. Hand crews from the South Fork Forest Camp (a joint facility of the Departments of Corrections and Forestry) fought the blaze. Resources from Weyerhaeuser and the McMinnville Fire
Department also assisted on the suppression effort.
May 13, 2016
The five-acre Wanless White Fire was reported 9:45 a.m. Friday burning about 10 miles northwest of McMinnville on private land in the Oregon Department of Forestry’s Forest Grove District. Several fire engines are fighting the fire, and ODF has ordered two 10-person hand crews from the South Fork Forest Camp. Resources from Weyerhaeuser and McMinnville Fire Department are assisting with the suppression effort.
Cause of the fire is under investigation.
May 9, 2016
A severe weather system forecast to hit Minnesota this week prompted the state’s Department of Natural Resources to request firefighting resources from Oregon last Friday. On May 7 and 8, the Oregon Dept. of Forestry sent 12 helicopter crewmen to The Land of 10,000 Lakes. These specially trained firefighters have been pre-positioned in areas of Minnesota likely to see new fires in the days ahead. They will be deployed via helicopter as needed to perform initial attack.
The Washington Dept. of Natural Resources received a similar request from Minnesota DNR and has also provided firefighting resources.
April 22, 2016
April 21, 2016
Contact: Kristin Babbs, president
Keep Oregon Green Association
503-945-7499, Kristin.a.babbs@oregon.gov
May is Oregon Wildfire Awareness Month. Oregon experiences
its heaviest wildfire activity during the summer, but fires occur all seasons
of the year including spring. During May, federal, state, tribal and local fire
agencies will be spreading the word about wildfire prevention and the steps
Oregonians can take to stop most fires before they start.
At stake: lives,
property, forests
When
it comes to preventing wildfires, there’s a lot at stake – lives, personal
property, and the many values provided by Oregon’s forests and rangelands.
During the 2015 wildfire season, about 1.6 million acres were consumed by
wildfire across the Pacific Northwest, including 630,000
acres in Oregon. Some 675 structures were lost – many of
them permanent residences. And tragically, three
firefighters were killed. Key wildlife habitats, including those of the
beleaguered greater sage grouse, went up in smoke.
In Oregon alone, some 850 human-caused fires ravaged the landscape. And
on just the forest and rangelands protected by the Oregon Department of
Forestry, these “people” fires burned nearly 87,000 acres. But wildfire
prevention educators are not pointing fingers. In the extreme weather
conditions of last summer nearly any fire start, whether human or lightning caused,
had potential to spread into a raging wildfire.
Wildfires can start
at home
Wildfires that occur in the wildland-urban interface often are started
by human activity and then spread to the forest. Once underway a fire follows
the fuel, whether it is trees or houses. Fortunately, this grave threat to
lives and property can be dramatically reduced.
“Simple prevention strategies will make the strongest impact on your
home, family and community safety,” said Kristin Babbs, president of the Keep
Oregon Green Association.
Spring is the perfect time, she said, to remove dead, flammable
vegetation and limb up trees around the yard.
“When
clearing brush and vegetation from around the home, property owners should also
keep in mind the access needed by larger fire trucks,” said State Fire Marshal
Jim Walker. “Long driveways should be at least 12 feet wide, have 10 feet of
vegetation clearance from the centerline to the edge of the driveway, and about
14 feet of overhead clearance. Having an adequate turnaround area is critical
for firefighter.”
To get an early start on Wildfire Awareness Month, join your neighbors
in reducing your community’s wildfire risk by taking part in National Wildfire
Community Preparedness Day on Saturday, May 7. The National Fire Protection
Association has teamed up with State Farm Insurance to encourage residents to
commit a couple of hours, or the entire day, to help raise wildfire awareness
and work together on projects that can help protect homes and entire
communities from the threat of fire.
April 11, 2016
Smaller wildfires are occurring around the state, reminding us that the seasonal transition is underway, with temperatures warming and fuels drying out. Spring is a great time to enjoy Oregon’s forests, but please follow fire safety precautions. The Keep Oregon Green Association has practical tips at: http://www.keeporegongreen.org/
January 7, 2016
The past three wildfire seasons were among the most severe and costly in the history of the Oregon Dept. of Forestry. Hot, dry conditions, long-term buildup of forest fuels, and expansion of the wildland-urban interface contributed to the increased fire activity and expense.
LARGE FIRE COSTS:
2013
Gross: $122 million
Net. $75 million
2014
Gross: $75.6 million
Net: $47.7 million
2015
Gross: $76.7 million
Net: $29.6 million
In late 2015, ODF formed the Fire Program Review Committee to review the department’s firefighting system, in an effort to curb rising costs and ensure its sustainability into the future.
October 29, 2015
All Oregon Department of Forestry forest protection districts were out of wildfire season as of Oct. 28. But as ODF foresters note, a calendar declaration does not mean fires can no longer occur.
A few warm, windy days can set the stage for a debris burn or campfire to escape control and damage the forest resource. Please continue to follow fire-safe practices as you enjoy Oregon’s forests this fall.
