JACKSON & JOSEPHINE COUNTIES, Ore. (September 25, 2026) – Continued cooler conditions have prompted a decrease in the Industrial Fire Precaution Level (IFPL) across Jackson and Josephine counties. At 12:01 a.m. on Monday, September 28, 2026, the IFPL on lands protected by the Oregon Department of Forestry Southwest Oregon District will decrease from Level 2 (two) to Level 1 (one). The public fire danger level will remain “moderate” (blue).
This change affects 1.8 million acres of state, private, county, city and Bureau of Land Management (BLM) forestlands in Jackson and Josephine counties.
The primary change with this decrease applies to industrial operations. Under IFPL I (one), the limited shutdown restrictions associated with IFPL II are lifted, allowing industrial operations to resume throughout the day. A fire watch is required at this and all higher IFPL levels unless otherwise waived.
Public fire prevention restrictions are not changing with this decrease. Moderate fire danger restrictions remain in effect, including restrictions on the use of power-driven equipment, grinding, cutting of metal and other spark-emitting equipment between 1 p.m. and 8 p.m. daily. Outdoor debris burning also remains prohibited.
Public fire restrictions under moderate fire danger include:
• Open fires are prohibited, which includes campfires, charcoal fires, cooking fires and warming fires, except at locations deemed a designated campground. Portable cooking stoves or firepits using liquefied or bottled fuels are still allowed in areas clear of flammable vegetation.
• Chainsaws, including equipment using string or metal blades, may not be used between 1 p.m. and 8 p.m. During hours outside of this time frame, this equipment may be used but requires that the operator have one shovel and one 8-ounce or larger fire extinguisher at the work site. A fire watch is also required for one hour after each use.
• Cutting, grinding and welding of metal is not allowed between 1 p.m. and 8 p.m. These activities are allowed during hours outside of this time frame only if the work site is a cleared area and a charged garden hose or one 2½-pound or larger fire extinguisher is at the job site.
• The mowing of dead or dried grass with power-driven equipment is not allowed between 1 p.m. and 8 p.m. This restriction does not include mowing green lawns or equipment used for the commercial culture and harvest of agricultural crops.
• Motorized vehicles, including motorcycles and all-terrain vehicles, are allowed only on improved roads free of flammable vegetation. One shovel and one gallon of water, or one 2½-pound or larger fire extinguisher, is required while traveling. All-terrain vehicles and motorcycles must be equipped with one 2½-pound or larger fire extinguisher.
• Any other spark-emitting internal combustion engine use not specifically mentioned is not allowed between 1 p.m. and 8 p.m. Use outside of this time frame is allowed only if the work site is a cleared area and a charged garden hose or one 2½-pound or larger fire extinguisher is at the job site.
Other public fire restrictions that remain in effect include:
• No debris burning, including piles and debris burned in burn barrels.
• No fireworks on or within one eighth of a mile of ODF-protected land. Fireworks are prohibited on all BLM land.
• Exploding targets and tracer ammunition, or any bullet with a pyrotechnic charge in its base, are prohibited.
• Smoking while traveling is allowed only in enclosed vehicles on improved roads, in boats on the water and other specifically designated locations.
• Any electric fence controllers must be approved by a nationally recognized testing laboratory 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.
Fire season remains in effect across Jackson and Josephine counties. While cooler conditions have reduced fire danger and allowed industrial restrictions to decrease, vegetation remains dry and can still carry fire. The public and industrial operators should continue to follow all current fire prevention requirements.
Conditions will continue to be monitored, and restrictions may change as fire conditions change.
For more information about the Oregon Department of Forestry’s fire season restrictions, 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
Fire season information is also available online on our Facebook page, @ODFSouthwest, and at www.swofire.com.