The fire danger level on lands protected by the Oregon Department of Forestry in Jackson and Josephine counties rises to “extreme” (red) at 12:01 a.m. Monday, July 31. This affects 1.8 million acres of state, private, county and Bureau of Land Management lands within ODF’s Southwest Oregon District.
The Industrial Fire Precaution Level (IFPL) will remain at Level 2 (two).
The primary difference between current fire prevention restrictions and those beginning Monday affects the public use of power-driven equipment, such as chain saws and mowers, to name a few. The use of power-driven equipment, grinding, cutting of metal, and other spark-emitting equipment, such as wood splitters and generators, will be prohibited.
Here are the details of the adjusted fire prevention regulations taking effect on July 31:
· The use of power saws is prohibited.
· The cutting, grinding and welding of metal is prohibited.
· The mowing of dry or dead grass is prohibited.
· The operation of any other spark-emitting internal combustion engine not specifically mentioned above is prohibited.
The following fire prevention regulations are currently in effect and will remain in effect until the fire danger level drops significantly:
· Smoking is prohibited while traveling, except in vehicles on improved roads, in boats on the water, and designated locations.
· Debris burning is prohibited.
· Burn barrel use is prohibited.
· Open fires are prohibited, including campfires, charcoal fires, cooking fires and warming fires, except in approved fire rings at designated campgrounds. In other locations, portable cooking stoves using liquefied or bottled fuels are allowed.
· Motor vehicles, including motorcycles and all-terrain vehicles, may only be used on improved roads free of flammable vegetation, except when used for the commercial culture and harvest of agricultural crops.
· Fireworks are prohibited.
· Any electric fence controller in use shall be listed by a nationally recognized testing laboratory or be certified by the Department of Consumer and Business Services; and operated in compliance with the manufacturer’s instructions.
· The use of exploding targets is prohibited.
· The use of tracer ammunition or any bullet with a pyrotechnic charge in its base is prohibited.
· Possession of the following firefighting equipment is required while traveling, except on state highways, county roads and driveways: one shovel and one gallon of water or one 2.5 pound or larger fire extinguisher. All-terrain vehicles and motorcycles must be equipped with one 2.5 pound or larger fire extinguisher.
For more information about the Oregon Department of Forestry’s fire season restrictions, visit our Facebook page: ODF Southwest Oregon District.