September 16, 2015
The fire danger level on Oregon Department of Forestry-protected lands in Jackson and Josephine counties has been lowered to “high” (yellow) today. The Industrial Fire Precaution Level has also been decreased to level 2 (two).
These regulations affect 1.8 million acres of state, private, county, city and Bureau of Land Management lands protected by ODF’s Southwest Oregon District.
Light rain and cooler temperatures across southwest Oregon have made it possible to ease off on some of the fire prevention regulations. However, very warm and dry weather is expected to return to the region by the weekend.
Restrictions on the public use of chain saws, brush cutters and other power-driven machinery have been relaxed a bit, allowing the use of equipment until 1:00 p.m. Before today, power-driven machinery had to be shut down by 10:00 a.m. Power-driven machinery use may resume after 8:00 p.m.
Other fire prevention regulations currently in effect, and which will remain in effect, include:
- No debris burning, including piles and debris burned in burn barrels;
- No fireworks use on forestlands;
- Exploding targets and tracer ammunition, or any bullet with a pyrotechnic charge in its base, are prohibited;
- No sky lanterns may be used in wildland and forestland areas.
- Campfires are allowed only in designated campgrounds. Portable stoves using liquefied or bottled fuels may be used in other locations;
- Motorized vehicles are allowed only on improved roads;
- Chain saws may be used until 1:00 p.m. and after 8:00 p.m. Chain saw users must have an ax, a shovel and an 8-oz or larger fire extinguisher at the job site, and a fire watch is required for one hour after the saw is shut down;
- Mowing of dead or dry grass with power-driven equipment is allowed until 1:00 p.m., and may resume after 8:00 p.m. This restriction does not apply to mowing green lawns, or to equipment used for the commercial culture and harvest of agricultural crops;
- The cutting, grinding or welding of metal are allowed until 1:00 p.m. and after 8:00 p.m. These activities may only take place at a site cleared of potentially flammable vegetation and other materials, and with a water supply at the job site;
- Smoking while traveling is allowed only in enclosed vehicles on improved roads;
- Electric fence controllers must be approved by a nationally recognized testing laboratory, such as Underwriters Laboratories Inc., or be certified by the Department of Consumer and Business Services, and be installed and used in compliance with the fence controller’s instructions for fire safe operation.
In the Wild and Scenic Section of the Rogue River between Grave Creek and Marial, charcoal fires may now be used for cooking provided a raised pan is used and conducted only in an area free of vegetation and other flammable material. Ashes must be hauled out.
Under Industrial Fire Precaution Level II:
- The use of fire in any form is prohibited
- The use of power saws is prohibited, except at loading sites, between 1:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m.
- The use of cable yarders is prohibited between 1:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m.
- Blasting is prohibited between 1:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m.
- Welding or cutting of metal are prohibited between 1:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m.
Additionally, commercial operators on forestlands are required to have fire suppression equipment on site and provide watchman service.
For more information about the Oregon Department of Forestry’s public regulated use 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
September 9, 2015
Don’t be fooled by the cool mornings and shorter days of September. Oregon Department of Forestry (ODF) fire officials say that they average more than 200 fires that burn in excess of 1,000 acres across the state each fall. In fact, in the early fall of 2014, the 36 Pit, Yellow Point and Scoggins Creek fires combined burned about 6,500 acres. More than 90 percent of the fires are caused by people during this time of year. To date in 2015, about 900 fires have burned more than 93,500 acres on ODF protected lands.
“People are genuinely surprised when their thought-to-be safe actions result in a fire,” said ODF Fire Prevention Coordinator Tom Fields.
Fields says that fire season remains in effect and generally lasts well into October. Weather forecasts are calling for temperatures in the 90s throughout much of Oregon for the next several days. Open fires remain prohibited on lands protected by ODF including campfires outside of approved campgrounds and the burning of debris. Forest fuels are at their driest after an entire summer of limited rainfall. A season ending event of several days of substantial rainfall, usually well into the fall, will be needed to erase fire danger and lift restrictions.
Other activities restricted during fire season include off road driving where hot exhaust and sparks from mufflers can ignite dry grass; the use of tracer ammunition and exploding targets; and the use of power equipment such as chain saws and lawn mowers cutting dry grass. Check with your local ODF or fire protection association office for specific restrictions or log on to www.oregon.gov/odf. Violators will be cited and fined and, should a fire result, held liable for fire suppression costs.
While many corporate private lands remain closed due to the continued fire danger, hunting season is still open. Hunters and other outdoor enthusiasts must have landowner permission before entering and follow all public fire use restrictions listed above.
September 1, 2015
Collier Butte Fire Current Situation:
- Acres, 11,800
- Containment, 55%
- Personnel, 57
- Crews, 2
- Helicopters, 1
- Engines, 3
This is the final Fire Update for the Collier Butte Fire. Tomorrow the Type 3 team will transition to a local Type 4 organization. This means the fire camp will be dismantled and assigned to another fire, remaining crews and equipment will be released to go home or reassigned, and the aviation resources have been moved to Grants Pass and made available for other Forest needs. If needed, helicopter support can be requested any time to support fire related activities. The local team will continue to monitor the fire by patrolling the fire lines and will regularly fly the perimeter to keep a birds-eye view on any remaining fire activity.
The Type 4 team will utilize remaining resources for any fire related restoration. This includes breaking down large berms created in the construction of dozer line, constructing water bars along fire lines, stabilizing any work done around streams or sensitive areas, and returning any remaining equipment to town.
Our recent rain wasn’t a fire season ending event, so it’s important to remain vigilant when travelling or recreating outdoors. Fire fighters would like to remind the public to watch out for fire equipment working in the area. Bow hunting season opened this past weekend, so you can anticipate additional traffic on forest roads. While we received 2.5 inches of rain over the weekend, other areas of the Forest received little to no rain, so extreme drought conditions still exist, creating very receptive fuels. Any spark or flame may ignite a wildfire, so please follow local fire restrictions and remain mindful of fire prevention.
An Emergency Area Closure remains in place on the Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest. Please contact the Gold Beach RD for the latest update on all closure information.
For any fire related questions, comments or concerns please contact the Gold Beach Ranger District at (541)247-3600.
August 29, 2015
A small amount of rain across Jackson and Josephine counties has reduced the wildfire danger to an equal degree. This morning, the Oregon Department of Forestry’s Southwest Oregon District eased the public regulated use fire prevention restrictions to allow power equipment use until 10:00 a.m.
The Industrial Fire Precaution Level (IFPL) remains at Level 3 (three) and the public regulated use fire danger level stays at “Extreme” (red).
The public may now use power-driven equipment, such as chain saws and brush cutters, in the cool morning hours until 10:00 a.m., at which time power-driven machinery must be shut down. Equipment use may resume after 8:00 p.m. This regulation change also applies to other power-driven, spark-emitting equipment, such as wood splitters and generators. In all cases, a fire extinguisher or water supply must be available at the work site, and a fire watch of at least one hour must take place after equipment is shut down.
The cutting, welding or grinding of metal must also shut down between 10:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m. and may only take place in an area cleared of vegetation and other flammable material. A water source must be at the job site and a one-hour fire watch must be conducted after shut down.
For more information about the Oregon Department of Forestry’s fire season regulations, contact the unit office in your area:
- Medford Unit, 5286 Table Rock Rd., Central Point. Phone: (541) 664-3328
- Grants Pass Unit, 5375 Monument Drive, Grants Pass. Phone: (541) 474-3152
August 28, 2015
Rain and wind are coming to southwest Oregon this weekend, and so is the start of bow hunting season. Will the rain bring an end to fire season? No. Will it reduce the fire danger level? A little bit. Maybe.
Watch this space on Saturday for information about any changes to the fire danger level.
Meanwhile, hunters and other visitors to the woods this weekend are urged to pay attention to fire season regulations. Campfires are allowed only in campgrounds — and all state-operated campgrounds have shut down campfires until the fire danger significantly lessens. Shooting tracer ammo or using exploding targets are never allowed in forests and other wildland areas during fire season. Vehicles are allowed only on improved roads, and smoking while traveling is allowed only inside of an enclosed vehicle.
For everyone else who live and work in wildland areas, the rain will not make it safe to burn debris piles or use burn barrels.
Oregon is still in the grip of an extraordinarily dry summer. A little rain won’t reverse the cumulative effects of three years of warmer-than-normal and drier-than-normal weather conditions.
