Welcome to the Oregon Department of Forestry, Southwest Oregon District
Mission
To serve the people of Oregon by protecting, managing, and promoting stewardship of Oregon’s forests to enhance environmental, economic, and community sustainability.
About SWOfire.com
SWOfire.com was created to help serve the constituents and staff of Southwest Oregon District by providing up to date wildfire information and statistics. This site is focused on sharing information for wildfire operations, land management, and public information. It also provides information about landowner assistance programs and seasonal employment opportunities.
Additional resources
SWOfire.com provides up-to-date information about wildfires occurring on Bureau of Land Management and private ownerships in Jackson and Josephine Counties. For additional information about wildfires outside of our protection jurisdiction, visit InciWeb. During a wildfire, the Oregon Department of Forestry works to hard to insure that the constituents of our District have access to the most up-to-date information about the status of evacuations in place. However, due to the extremely dynamic nature of wildfires, these evacuations are often subject to change without advanced notice. To verify the status of current evacuations, please contact your county’s sheriff office.
Contact us
Southwest Oregon District
Medford Unit, 5286 Table Rock Rd., Central Point, OR 97502, 541-664-3328
Grants Pass Unit, 5375 Monument Dr., Grants Pass, OR 97526, 541-474-3152
Only you can help Oregon’s firefighters stop arson
The cause of every wildfire on Oregon Department of Forestry-protected land is investigated. During the 2018 fire season, Southwest District recorded 225 human-caused fires. Of these fires, 17 were arson – a 26 percent decrease from arson-caused fires in 2017. An arsonist, if caught and convicted, can go to jail and be held responsible for all fire suppression costs. Information provided by someone who saw a person start the fire, or who knows the identity of the person who caused the fire, is vital if an arsonist is to be caught and convicted.
Fortunately, most human-caused wildfires are not caused by arson. However, many fires are caused by negligence. If a person is found to be willful, negligent, or malicious in the cause of a wildfire, they can be issued a citation and be billed for the entire cost of fire suppression.
Fire prevention regulations typically put into place during fire season on ODF’s Southwest Oregon District include:
- No debris burning
- No burn barrel use
- No campfires except in designated campgrounds
- No fireworks in forests or other wildland areas
- No smoking while traveling except in an enclosed vehicle
- No shooting with tracer rounds
- No use of exploding targets
- No motorized vehicles allowed off improved roads
Also, equipment is regulated as to the time of day in which equipment may be used. Equipment includes chain saws, mowers, brush cutters and weed whackers powered by an internal combustion engine. It also applies to welding and the cutting and grinding of metal.
Electric fencer controllers are also regulated. Users of this equipment must follow the manufacturer’s instructions for installation and use, and the user must ensure the equipment is properly grounded at all times.
If you see someone starting a wildfire, call 9-1-1, but we would also like to hear from you. Call ODF’s Medford Unit at 541-664-3328 or Grants Pass Unit at 541-474-3152 and ask to speak with a fire investigator. Or call 1-800-442-2068 (Oregon State Police Dispatch) anytime. You can provide information anonymously, and all information you provide will remain confidential. Lastly, you can send information by email to fire.tips@oregon.gov.
Helpful information you can provide includes:
- A physical description of the person who started the fire
- A description of the vehicle and its license plate number
- Time the fire was started
- Location where the fire was started
- Photos or videos you may have may be of great value to the investigation
Help stamp out arson in Oregon’s forests.