May 19, 2016
The governors of eight western states have signed a proclamation recognizing May 2016 as Wildfire Awareness Month. The chief executives of Oregon, Washington, Nevada, California, Idaho, Utah, Montana and South Dakota encourage all citizens to “take steps to better prepare their home and communities for wildfires and work toward becoming a fire-adapted community.”
These states, in partnership with fire prevention agencies and organizations, are working together to increase awareness of wildfires. This year’s wildfire season is predicted to pose a substantial threat across Oregon. Gov. Kate Brown’s office, along with the Keep Oregon Green Association, the Oregon Department of Forestry, and the Oregon Office of State Fire Marshal, is seeking the public’s assistance to help prevent human-caused wildfires this summer.
OREGON’S BACK-TO-BACK FIRE SEASONS AND CURRENT WILDFIRE RISK
In Oregon, approximately 70 percent of all wildland fires are human-caused. 2013 was an epic wildfire year in terms of state-protected acreage burned (103,809) and suppression costs ($122 million). 2014 was another endless season of fire, with 712 human-caused fires burning nearly six times the 10-year average acreage (20,052). The high cost prompted a substantial change to Oregon’s wildland fire insurance policy, doubling the annual deductible to $50 million and nearly doubling the premium to $3.75 million. Adding insult to injury, Oregon faced another record-breaking fire season in 2015 with record low snowpack, the driest conditions in 25 years, more than 800 human-caused fires, and $76.5 million spent on suppression.
During May, Keep Oregon Green along with federal, state, tribal and local fire agencies, will continue to promote wildfire prevention topics via traditional and social media each week to help homeowners and recreationists learn how to ensure their outdoor activities do not spark the next wildfire. For more information, visit these websites: Keep Oregon Green, Oregon Dept. of Forestry, and the Office of the State Fire Marshal.
May 18, 2016
May is Wildfire Awareness Month and the ideal time to reduce the excess vegetation around your home that could pose a wildfire threat. As you begin spring clean-up, Keep Oregon Green, the Oregon Department of Forestry and the Oregon State Fire Marshal urge you to consider chipping or recycling your yard debris. If burning is the only option to dispose of woody material, fire officials urge landowners to follow safe burning practices.
“If you do burn your debris, use common sense and follow safety rules,” said State Fire Marshal Jim Walker. “This can prevent most debris burn-caused wildfires, and keep lives and property safe.”
Escaped debris burns are the leading human cause of wildfire issues in Oregon, particularly during the early- and late-season periods when people think it is safe and permissible to burn. In 2015, backyard debris burns that escaped control resulted in 133 wildfires burning 224 acres at a cost of nearly $381,000.
Oregon experienced severe fire seasons in 2013-15. Extreme conditions those three years set the stage for any debris burn that got away to spread rapidly.
A burn pile is less likely to escape control if these simple safety tips are followed:
- CALL BEFORE YOU BURN – Burning regulations are not the same in all areas and can vary with weather and fuel conditions. If you’re planning to burn, check with your local ODF district, fire protective association, or air protection authority to learn if there are any current burning restrictions in effect, and whether a permit is required.
- KNOW THE WEATHER FORECAST – Never burn on dry or windy days. These conditions make it easy for open burning to spread out of control.
- CLEAR A 10-FOOT RADIUS AROUND YOUR PILE – Also make sure there are no tree branches or power lines above.
- KEEP YOUR BURN PILE SMALL- A large burn may cast hot embers long distances. Small piles, 4×4 feet, are recommended. Add debris in small amounts as existing material is consumed.
- ALWAYS HAVE WATER AND FIRE TOOLS ON SITE – When burning, have a charged water hose, bucket of water, and shovel and dirt nearby to extinguish the fire. Drown the pile with water, stir the coals, and drown again, repeating till the fire is DEAD out.
- STAY WITH THE FIRE UNTIL IT IS COMPLETELY OUT – Monitoring a debris burn continually from start to finish until dead out is required by state law, to ensure that any escaped sparks or embers can be extinguished quickly. Go back and recheck old burn piles, as they can retain heat for several weeks and then rekindle when the weather warms and wind begins to blow.
- NEVER USE GASOLINE or other accelerants (flammable or combustible liquids) to start or increase your open fire. Every year, 10 to 15 percent of all burn injuries treated at the Oregon Burn Center in Portland are the result of backyard debris burning.
- BURN ONLY YARD DEBRIS – State regulations prohibit the open burning of any material that creates dense smoke or noxious odors.
- ESCAPED DEBRIS BURNS ARE COSTLY – State law requires the proper clearing, building, attending and extinguishing of open fires any time of year. A first-time citation carries a $110 fine. If your debris burn spreads out of control, you are responsible for the cost of fire suppression and very likely the damage to neighboring properties. This can range from a few hundred to thousands of dollars.
More tips on wildfire prevention, including campfire safety, use of motorized equipment, and fire-resistant landscaping can be found on the Keep Oregon Green site, www.keeporegongreen.org
May 2, 2016
The presentation and agenda for the 2016 aviation cooperators meeting is now available. Please contact Jesse Blair (541) 664-3328 or Steve Wetmore (541) 474-3152 if you have an questions.
Click HERE for the agenda.
Click HERE for the presentation.
Click HERE for the APM (Aviation Procedures Manual)
April 19, 2016
For anyone looking to go to the woods this spring, work on fires in the summer, or hunt during the fall there is a map just for you. Fully offline and available for most of Oregon you can use them with any device with the free PDF Maps application. Feel free to visit this tutorial video to learn how to download and get your maps.
April 7, 2016
A wildfire approximately 7 acres in size is burning through logging slash on Horse Mtn., located in northwestern Jackson County approximately 8 miles west of Shady Cove (33S, 3W, Sec. 24). The logging slash is green and the fire is burning downhill on a NE aspect slope.
Three engines from the Oregon Dept. of Forestry’s Medford Unit are on scene, and two more engines have been ordered from ODF’s Grants Pass Unit. Two bulldozers, a water tender and a 20-man crew have also been ordered.
The fire is on private forestland and is moving at a moderate rate through the slash. It was reported around 4:00 p.m. The cause of the fire has not yet been determined.
April 5, 2016
Preventing summer wildfires and protecting your home often starts in the spring when fire danger is traditionally low and the warm weather lends to working outside. Spring is the perfect time to clean up around the home and discard piles of yard debris safely and effectively. Regardless of the time of year, always use caution if your plans include burning piles of yard debris.
Debris burning is the number one human-caused wildfire, with many fires taking place in the spring and fall. Statewide in 2015, 209 fires caused by debris burning blackened 432 acres and cost more than $630,000 to suppress. One-third of these fires took place before and after fire season.
In Jackson and Josephine counties, escaped debris burning fires in 2015 caused 44 wildfires that burned 113 acres.
The Oregon Department of Forestry urges residents to exercise caution when burning debris and to refer to the following checklist before burning:
- Seek alternatives to burning, such as chipping or recycling the debris.
- If you decide to burn the material, call your structural fire department to see if a burning permit is required.
- Call your county’s air quality office to find out whether open burning is allowed that day. The number in Jackson County is (541) 776-7007. In Josephine County, call (541) 476-9663.
- Construct the burn pile in an isolated spot so the flames won’t spread to adjacent vegetation. Dig or scrape a fire line around the burn pile. Make sure there are no overhanging branches or powerlines above the burn pile.
- Keep the burn pile small. Burning a small pile is easier to control than a large one.
- Have a shovel and water at the burn pile site. If the site can be reached with a garden hose, make sure the hose extends at least 25 feet beyond the pile’s location.
- Avoid burning during windy conditions. Embers can travel and ignite spot fires nearby.
- Stay with the fire, wetting down the edges to prevent escape, until it is completely out.
- Remember, unattended piles can quickly spread out of control. If your debris burn escapes control, call 911 immediately.
This is also the best time of year to make your property wildfire-safe. Be sure and remove all dead leaves and needles from your roof and gutters. Create a defensible space of 30 to 100 feet around your home by clearing brush and moving wood piles. Keep your lawn well irrigated and make sure your driveway is clearly marked and accessible for emergency vehicles and equipment.
January 28, 2016
The Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest’s Medford Interagency Communications Center (MICC) will officially change its name to the Rogue Valley Interagency Communications Center (RVICC) on April 1, 2016. This date was picked in order to provide adequate time to network the name change prior to fire season.
The objective of the name change is to reduce the likelihood of a serious accident for responding firefighting resources.
The MICC dispatch center, which is staffed by Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management employees, is a federal dispatch center located within the Rogue Valley in the city of Medford. The radio call sign has been “Medford Interagency Dispatch” since 2008.
The Oregon Department of Forestry also has a dispatch center located in the adjacent city of Central Point and uses a similar call sign, “Medford Dispatch.” The nearly identical radio call signs of the two centers have been a source of confusion during emergency response, particularly for aircraft. This has resulted in several “near misses” which is basically when a serious accident is narrowly avoided.
In an effort to minimize the chances of a serious accident occurring, the new call sign will be changed to “Rogue Dispatch” to provide a clear distinction between the state and federal dispatch centers.
“Every year after fire season, we hold what is called an “After Action Review” to discuss improvements that we can make to keep our firefighters safe. This change was at the top of our list,” said Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest Fire & Aviation Staff Officer Eric Hensel.
December 23, 2015
So, just how severe was Oregon’s wildfire season this summer? About 838,000 gallons’ worth, according to Neal Laugle, the Department of Forestry’s (ODF) aviation unit manager. That’s how much liquid retardant the department’s air tankers dumped on fires in 2015. And that figure doesn’t include the thousands of gallons of straight water dropped by ODF contracted helicopters in close support of ground firefighting forces.
The window of opportunity in which to stop a new blaze from growing large has shrunk from days to hours, due to the extreme summer weather and forest fuel conditions. Fire managers with ODF and the fire associations increasingly rely on air power to even the odds, launching air and ground resources simultaneously, which often shaves response time to minutes.
ODF’s contracted large air tanker can reach a fire quickly and deliver 3,000 gallons of retardant in a single load. This slows fire growth and buys time for fire engines and hand crews to arrive on scene and begin direct attack. Single-engine air tankers (SEATs) use their speed and maneuverability to box in a fire with multiple, smaller retardant drops. All told, air tankers logged more than 700 flight hours this summer. The agency’s helicopters put in 834 hours slinging water to hot spots with their cable-suspended buckets.
Fire aviation snapshot
Statistics currently available are for ODF- and fire association-protected lands west of the Cascades. This summer, most of the aerial firefighting took place east of the Cascades (86 percent), followed by southern Oregon (14 percent), and northwestern Oregon (less than one percent).
- In 2015, the Douglas Forest Protective Association in Douglas County flew 60 helicopter missions and also assisted ODF’s Southwest Oregon District and the Willamette National Forest. A small plane flew 55 missions that included fire detection, monitoring of existing fires, and guiding air operations (air tankers and helicopters) over fires.
- The department’s Southwest Oregon District (Jackson and Josephine counties) conducted 150 missions, including air tanker and helicopter flights. Helicopters performed air attack, helitack (insertion of firefighters at fires, along with making water drops) and transport of personnel and cargo.
- Coos Forest Protective Association logged 55 flight hours on 19 different fires in Coos and Douglas counties to quench the flames with water drops. In addition, CFPA aircraft flew reconnaissance during lightning events to detect new fires.
ODF’s aggressive firefighting tactics can create an “airshow” of multiple tankers and helicopters over an active fire. When the meter is running on all these aircraft, costs mount quickly. But stopping even one high-potential blaze from spreading to thousands of acres can save millions of dollars in the long term.
As an example, the 26,000-acre Stouts Creek Fire in Douglas County cost $37 million to extinguish. And that is just for suppression. Damage to the forest resource, which includes timber as well as fish and wildlife habitats, typically totals at least three times the firefighting expense.
No one can accurately predict the intensity of future fire seasons. But the current trend has the department, its partner resource agencies, and private forest landowners scrambling to meet the challenge. Aviation will undoubtedly continue to play a major role in Oregon’s fire protection system in the years to come.
December 23, 2015
Need a map to go look at Christmas lights this year?
I have made up a mobile friendly version that will work in Google Maps. Thanks to the Mail Tribune for assembling all these.
Have a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.
December 10, 2015
USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) announces funding available to help private non-industrial forest landowners in the Ashland watershed reduce the threat of catastrophic wildfire and improve the overall health of their forests.
Eligible landowners may receive payments from NRCS to implement forestry practices on their land, such as pre-commercial thinning, tree and shrub pruning, slash treatments and more. To be considered for the next round of funding, landowners are encouraged to submit applications by Jan. 15 by contacting the USDA Service Center in Central Point at 89 Alder Street, or by calling 541-664-1070. An additional application cut-off date is set for April 15.
The funding is provided by USDA’s Chiefs’ Joint Landscape Restoration Partnership, an initiative by the chiefs of two USDA agencies—the Forest Service and the Natural Resources Conservation Service—to improve the health and resilience of forest ecosystems across public and private boundaries in at-risk communities.
In 2015, NRCS awarded $1.1 million in funding to landowners in the Ashland area to perform pre-commercial thinning, slash treatment and other conservation practices on 1,213 acres of private forest lands. The Forest Service also invested $1.2 million to perform forest stand treatments on adjacent federal lands. The Joint Chiefs funding builds upon the Ashland Forest Resiliency Stewardship Project, an ongoing partnership launched in 2010 between the U.S. Forest Service, Lomakatsi Restoration Project, The Nature Conservancy, and The City of Ashland, and is supported by a number of other partners including the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Jackson Soil and Water Conservation District.
“Jackson County consistently experiences one of the highest occurrences of wildfire in Oregon and has suffered devastating losses to quality of life, property, natural resources, and community infrastructure,” said Erin Kurtz, NRCS District Conservationist for Jackson County. “The Joint Chiefs funding allows us to expand current efforts in our community to reduce wildfire threats and restore ecosystem function in an all-lands approach.”
The Joint Chiefs funding—provided annually over three years—aims to implement fuels reduction activities on 4,200 acres of privately-owned forest land and 4,000 acres of Forest Service land. NRCS will continue to offer financial assistance to eligible private landowners through 2016 and 2017.
NRCS provides payments to landowners through the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP). This is a voluntary financial assistance program in the Farm Bill that allows NRCS to work directly with private landowners to develop conservation plans and reimburse landowners for a portion of the expense. View EQIP eligibility criteria on the Oregon EQIP webpage.
For more information about this and other NRCS financial assistance programs, visit the Oregon NRCS website at www.or.nrcs.usda.gov.
For more information about the Ashland Forest Resiliency Stewardship Project, visit the project’s website at: www.ashlandwatershed.org
December 7, 2015
Oregon experienced a significant increase in wildfires over the past several years. Not only have these fires increased damages and costs to Oregon’s forests, landowners, and local communities but they have stretched the state’s “complete and coordinated fire protection system.”
Seeking ideas to address these challenges, the Oregon Department of Forestry (ODF) initiated a Fire Program Review Committee. This committee is made up of forest landowners, wildland fire professionals, elected officials, the Oregon State Fire Marshal’s office and other stakeholders to advise ODF in its effort to develop and implement a more sustainable fire organization, including large fire funding solutions.
“This review is an effort to inform our long-term strategic view and facilitate improvement of this highly valued and functioning wildland fire protection system,” said Kenneth Cummings, Vice Chair of the committee. The committee will focus its efforts on providing recommendations for the 2016 fire season as well as long-term goals for wildfire management and budget development.
The committee began its work Dec. 1 and formed three working groups to help support the committee’s efforts. The Fire Program Review Committee is scheduled to meet again on Jan. 21 to discuss the working group’s findings, refine key issues, capture additional ideas and provide further guidance. Interested parties are welcome to attend.
Additional information about the committee can be found online at: www.oregon.gov/ODF/Board/Pages/FireProgramReview.aspx.
November 23, 2015
In 2015, a witches’ brew of drought, hot weather and dry lightning spawned more than 2,000 wildfires across Oregon that consumed some 631,000 acres of forest and rangeland. In a massive coordinated effort, the Oregon Department of Forestry (ODF) and its local and federal partners fought back, stopping hundreds of new fire starts at small size and preventing many large blazes from growing into mega-fires.
The state’s wildland fire agencies have long recognized the need to work closely together. Oregon’s forest ownership pattern – a spider web of intermingled public and private lands – demands it. From that understanding developed the concept of a “complete and coordinated system” of fire protection. The U.S. Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management, ODF and other wildland fire agencies seamlessly respond to wildfires. This approach reduces redundancy of fire suppression forces and provides more thorough coverage.
So, how did the system perform in 2015, the third severe fire season in as many years?
- ODF Incident management teams deployed eight times to support large fire incidents across the state. These teams worked together with several federal, state and local partners to accomplish common goals.
- Oregon National Guard supplied several helicopters and flight crews, other equipment and 375 personnel to form 18 fire hand crews.
- Oregon State Fire Marshal’s Office (OSFM) provided three structural fire teams to safeguard homes and other developments. This freed up ODF teams to concentrate on containing the wildfires.
- Oregon Department of Corrections (DOC) provided 330 inmates from 10 institutions to fight fire and support fire camp operations.
- Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) displayed prevention messages and road-closure information on highway reader boards to inform travelers.
- Personnel, equipment and aircraft came in from the U.S. Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management, 27 states and two Canadian Provinces.
- The forest landowner community once again pulled together to assist by providing heavy equipment, skilled tree fellers and intermediate fire management.
- Private contractors provided 20-person firefighting hand crews for 165 fires in five states, working more than 8,500 crew-days.
Ron Graham, deputy chief of ODF’s Forest Protection Division, said, “A majority of the help came from companies, agencies and individuals whose primary jobs and duties are not fire emergency-related. Through coordination and training, ODF was able to use their unique skills, abilities and knowledge to fill critical fire positions.”
He extended thanks to all ODF staff as well as the agency’s many partners in the complete and coordinated system, along with their families, and to all Oregonians for their contribution to the 2015 firefighting effort.
November 2, 2015
Gusty winds on Saturday afternoon, Oct. 31, pushed several burning piles of debris into wildfires. The largest wildfire was the 55-acre Dunn Butte Fire, south of Ashland near Hwy 66. Other fires included:
- A 12-acre fire near Cloverlawn Drive, between Grants Pass and Murphy;
- An 11-acre fire in the Dark Hollow Rd area, south of Medford and west of Phoenix;
- A 3-acre fire on Adams Road, west of Talent;
- A 1-acre fire near Griffin Lane, south of Jacksonville;
- A 1-acre fire along East Evans Creek Road, east of Wimer;
- A 1/10th-acre fire on Tolman Creek Road, on the south end of Ashland.
Many structural fire protection agencies were involved, as well as resources from the Oregon Department of Forestry and CalFire. All of the fires were contained by nightfall and subsequent rain showers helped to quell the flames.
October 28, 2015
Rain has brought an end to fire season today on the Oregon Department of Forestry’s Southwest Oregon District. All public regulated use and industrial fire prevention regulations have been terminated as of 7:00 a.m. today.
The fire danger level is “low” (green).
October 19, 2015
The fire danger level on lands protected by the Oregon Department of Forestry’s Southwest Oregon District dropped to “moderate” (blue) today due to rain. The Industrial Fire Precaution Level (IFPL) is 1 (one).
Fire season remains in effect but many fire prevention regulations have been removed.
It is now all right to have campfires outside of designated campgrounds, but it is necessary to get the landowner’s permission before camping on private land, and to always ensure a campfire is extinguished before leaving camp.
Power-driven machinery may be used without restriction.
Vehicles are not limited to being driven only on improved roads.
However, the following fire prevention regulations remain in effect:
- No debris burning, whether in piles or burn barrels;
- No shooting with tracer ammunition;
- No exploding targets;
- No fireworks.
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
October 15, 2015
At 12:01 a.m. on Saturday, October 17, campfire restrictions will be lifted for most lands administered by the Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest. While conditions are still dry, fire danger has decreased enough for Forest visitors to resume having campfires. Additionally, the Industrial Fire Precaution Level will decrease to a Level 1.
IFPL 1 (one) will also go into effect Oct. 17 on Oregon Department of Forestry-protected lands in Jackson and Josephine counties.
Some Rogue River-Siskiyou NF fire restrictions on campfires remain in effect year-round: fires along the Illinois River Road are permitted only in Forest Service-constructed fire rings, and no camping or campfires are allowed in the Ashland Watershed.
Fire managers on the Rogue River-Siskiyou NF would like to remind the public that conditions across the forest continue to be dry, and the threat of wildfires will continue until significant rain arrives in the area. Please continue to be cautious with any activity that may ignite a wildfire. Always extinguish campfires completely, and only use campfires in areas void of flammable vegetation. Avoid driving and smoking in or near dry grasses and fuels.
The 2015 fire season provided significant firefighting challenges across the western United States. In order to meet future challenges in the most effective way possible, the U.S. Forest Service will continue to use prescribed burning as a tool to reduce build-up of hazardous fuels, restore forest ecosystems, and improve resiliency and safety of communities within the wildland urban interface. The Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest would like our cooperators and public to know preparations are beginning for Fall prescribed burning.
Planned projects for this Fall include burning piles of stacked materials, and low-to-moderate intensity understory burns of vegetation on the forest floor. The primary goals of these projects are to reduce the severity of future wildfires, and to provide added protection for communities in the wildland urban interface. In addition, the burns will promote a diverse and more resilient forest, and improve habitat for wildlife. The burns will take place on all Ranger Districts, between now and late Spring of 2016. Specific dates of and location of ignitions will depend on local weather and fuel conditions.
All prescribed fire projects will be conducted in accordance with an approved burn plan to ensure the safety of people and property in the area. Burn plans describe the specific conditions under which burns will be conducted including the weather, number of personnel, and opportunities to minimize smoke impacts.
October 14, 2015
[ Update 2:54 p.m.: Engine crews have knocked down the fire. One helicopter has been released from the fire and one engine from the U.S. Forest Service has been added to the suppression force. Lots of mop-up to do. ]
Oregon Department of Forestry Medford Unit firefighters are converging on a small wildfire reported this afternoon on Willits Ridge, 5 miles west of Prospect. Two helicopters, a bulldozer and five engines have been dispatched. The spotter in the first helicopter on-scene estimates the fire is approximately 1/2 acre and is burning in brush and other ground-level vegetation. The fire is on flat ground and is next to a road.
The fire was reported just before 2:00 p.m. A 5-person crew from ODF’s Grants Pass Unit is also en route to the fire.
The legal description for the fire area is T 32S, R 2E, Sec 30.
October 1, 2015
A wildfire speeding through dry grass burned a large workshop and 10 acres of woodland this afternoon along Meadows Rd. Structural fire protection engines from Jackson County Fire District 3 and wildland fire engines, a bulldozer and three helicopters from the Oregon Department of Forestry kept the fire from causing more damage.
Crews were dispatched to the fire around 4:15 p.m. and had the wildfire contained by nightfall.
The cause of the fire is being investigated.
September 30, 2015
Hunting season kicks into high gear Saturday, Oct. 3, when centerfire rifles may be used in southwest Oregon for deer hunting. Hunters are cautioned to be careful with activities that could spark a wildfire. Oregon remains in one of the driest fire seasons on record, and many fire prevention regulations continue to be in effect.
Campfires are allowed only in state and county campgrounds. Always monitor a campfire while it is burning and completely extinguish the flames and all embers before leaving camp. Have a bucket of water and a shovel near to the fire pit.
Camp stoves using gasoline or propane fuels are allowed outside of campgrounds. Keep a fire extinguisher handy whenever a camp stove is being used. It’s also a good idea to keep a fire extinguisher inside of every vehicle. A 2½-lb A-B-C fire extinguisher is adequate for most camp kitchen and vehicle fire emergencies.
Smoking is never allowed while walking through the woods, or when riding on horseback, on a bicycle or on an ATV or motorcycle. Smoke only inside an enclosed vehicle and use an ashtray or other fire-safe container.
Never drive motorized vehicles off improved roads. An improved road has adequate width for a four-wheeled car or truck, and has fire-resistant surface comprised of gravel or asphalt. An unimproved road typically has vegetation growing in the median or other parts of the driving surface, and has brush and tree branches hanging over the roadway. If branches scrape along the side of a vehicle, or grass is flattened by a vehicle when driving over it, then the road is unimproved and shouldn’t be driven.
Motorcycles and other motorized all-terrain vehicles are not allowed on trails.
Chain saws, generators and other equipment using an internal combustion engine must be shut down by 1:00 p.m. Have a water supply and fire-fighting tools, such as a shovel and an axe, at the site where the equipment is being used. Perform a one-hour fire watch after the equipment is shut down.
Target shooting has become a significant cause of wildfires. Tracer ammunition and exploding targets are banned in all wildland and forested areas. Target shooting with conventional ammunition and targets is allowed, but use care not to create sparks with metal-on-metal contact. Remove brass and other debris when finished with target shooting.
Many private forestlands remain closed due to the high fire danger. A complete list of land closures is available online.
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
September 25, 2015
After six straight years of single digit detections, the Oregon Department of Agriculture has trapped 14 gypsy moths this summer including two Asian gypsy moths in the Portland area. The results signal an increased concern of the threat posed by the plant-eating invasive species and has prompted an evaluation of next steps to deal with the insect pest.
“This is an exceptionally destructive insect that would change the health of our forests, making them far more vulnerable to other invasive plant issues, causing a loss of foliage on trees as well as damaging agricultural-related industries that would face quarantines should the gypsy moth get established,” says Clint Burfitt, manager of ODA’s Insect Pest Prevention and Management Program.
[ See ODA’s Gypsy Moth Fact Sheet. ]
After placing approximately 15,000 traps statewide this spring, ODA has found seven gypsy moths near Grants Pass in Josephine County, five in the greater Portland area, one in Forest Grove in Washington County, and one in West Linn in Clackamas County. Two of the moths were trapped in or near Portland’s Forest Park, another two in the St. Johns area and the Port of Portland’s Terminal 6. Perhaps most significant is the detection of Asian gypsy moth– one in Forest Park, the other near St. Johns. The other 12 moths are the more common European strain of the insect.
Asian gypsy moth is potentially a much more dangerous insect. Unlike its European cousin, the female Asian gypsy moth has the ability to fly, which could lead to a more rapid infestation and subsequent spread. The Asian gypsy moth also has a larger appetite for what grows in Oregon, including a taste for conifers. There have been just three Asian gypsy moths detected in Oregon prior to this year– a single catch in North Portland in 1991, one caught in Portland’s Forest Park in 2000, and one caught in St. Helens in 2006.
It’s notable that two of the three Asian gypsy moths trapped in Oregon were relatively in the same locations as this year’s detections. Additionally, an Asian gypsy moth has been trapped across the Columbia River near the Port of Vancouver in Washington.
The detections of Asian gypsy moth are not completely surprising since the insect pest was ultimately transported by ships arriving from Asia, particularly Russia.
“We can speculate that the moths likely came from Far East Russia as thousands of steel plates are imported from areas across the Pacific that are infested with Asian gypsy moth,” says Burfitt.
Patrols from US Customs and Border Protection as well as US Department of Agriculture’s Animal Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) have worked with shipping companies to inspect vessels before they arrive in Oregon and elsewhere around the country, but the chances of intercepting every potentially viable gypsy moth egg mass are challenging. It is likely that the adult moths trapped this year in the Portland Vancouver area originated from one of those egg masses.
“We are receiving an increased number of shipments into our ports from Russia, Korea, China, and Japan,” says Burfitt. “Those Asian ports are well lit and near forested areas. The Asian gypsy moths are attracted to the lights. Female moths fly onto the ships, then lay their eggs on containers and commodities. Based on the high population of moths at these Asian ports and the egg masses that have been recovered from the ships the past couple of years, there is a heightened alert nationally to be on the lookout for Asian gypsy moth.”
Oregonians have more experience with the European gypsy moth, which is usually introduced when new residents or travelers from areas of high gypsy moth populations in the eastern US unwittingly bring the pest with them on outdoor household furniture or other items that may harbor gypsy moth eggs.
For the third straight year, ODA has trapped European gypsy moths near Grants Pass and the seven detected this year are further proof of a breeding population in the area.
Now that nearly all of the 15,000 gypsy moth traps have been checked and removed for the year, ODA and its partners are examining the data while considering the best course of action. While no plans have been determined yet, there is the possibility of gypsy moth eradication projects next spring in Josephine County and North Portland. This year, the State of Washington has caught Asian gypsy moths as well, incuding the one in Vancouver.
A USDA technical working group will be offering recommendations to both states on the next steps, which may include spray projects in spring 2016 using Bacillus thuringiensis var. kurstaki (Btk)– an organically approved product and natural-occurring bacterium that targets the gypsy moth.
For many years, spraying for gypsy moth was an annual event in Oregon, but the most recent eradication project took place in 2009. Oregon’s gypsy moth history shows the cyclical nature of the insect. Prior to this year’s 14 detections, there were just four detections in 2014, two moths caught in 2013, one moth in 2012, and no detections in 2011. By contrast, more than 19,000 gypsy moths were trapped in Lane County alone in the mid-1980s. Despite the lack of moths up until this year, the threat of new introductions to Oregon is constant on an annual basis.
So far, Oregon has avoided the unsavory prospect of having to learn to live with the gypsy moth. That’s why the just-completed detection program continues to be an important tool in fighting off an unwanted invader.
“History shows that we have a very good program that finds gypsy moth populations while they are small and treatable,” says Helmuth Rogg, ODA’s Director of Plant Programs. “We have a track record of eradicating small pockets of gypsy moth i
n Oregon as soon as we detect them. Without a good trapping program and a safe, effective eradication program, that would not be possible.”
As officials mull over the options and contemplate what needs to happen next, history shows that the Oregon Department of Agriculture’s emphasis on early detection and rapid response to the gypsy moth threat fits well with ODA’s mission to protect the state’s natural environment and economy from the impact of an invasive species that has caused havoc in other parts of the country and the world.
