Fire Season Ends In Northeast Oregon

As of 12:01 a.m. on October 27, 2015, fire season is officially terminated for forestlands protected by the Oregon Department of Forestry (ODF), Northeast Oregon District. This includes private, state, county, municipal, and tribal lands in seven counties: Union, Baker, Wallowa, Umatilla, and small portions of Grant, Malheur, and Morrow. Cooler temperatures and scattered rain showers over the past few days combined with a favorable forecast of more precipitation have prompted fire managers to end fire season. Dennis Perilli, Pendleton Unit Forester, reminds people to continue to use caution “We’ve received some moisture and there is more in the forecast. However, as folks are thinking about whether to burn debris and slash piles, they need to remember that one warm windy day can cause conditions to shift quickly. Each year we respond to escape controlled burns in the fall.” Technical advice for burning and smoke management can be obtained from your local ODF office.

With the termination of fire season, requirements such as providing fire-fighting equipment at logging sites or obtaining a burning permit for burn barrels are no longer in effect. However, terminating fire season does not relieve landowners or forest operators of lawful responsibilities concerning the safe burning of debris or slash.

Specific Smoke Management/Burning Advisory Information:

 If you are under the protection of a rural or city fire department, please call and ask what
their burning restrictions are. Burn permits for burn barrels and small amounts of yard debris are not required on lands protected by Oregon Department of Forestry. In addition, burning within the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation requires a permit from the CTUIR. Follow all requirements within the permit.

 Burning of slash from forestry and logging activities requires a Notification of
Operation/PDM from the Oregon Department of Forestry. In addition to this permit, the
local Oregon Department of Forestry office must be contacted prior to ignition.
Before burning in northeast Oregon, it is important to check weather conditions relative to
smoke management. For smoke management forecasts call (541) 963-9781 or visit the
following website:
http://www.odf.state.or.us/DIVISIONS/protection/fire_protection/Daily/neo.htm.

 Slash Burns must be registered with the local Oregon Department of Forestry office at
least 7 days prior to burning and burning accomplishments reported within 7 days after
burning.

The Northeast Oregon District of the Oregon Department of Forestry would like to thank landowners, forest operators and the public for their efforts in fire prevention, detection, and suppression activities this season. Fire Season 2015 brought an active fire year for the Northeast Oregon District. 54,907 acres were burnt across the district in 80 incidents. Additional resources such as helicopters, dozers and single engine air tankers, partially paid for with General Fund monies from the State of Oregon helped to aid firefighting efforts significantly. These additional resources were part of the coordinated effort used by ODF which also included rural fire departments, Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation, Bureau of Indian Affairs, local contractors, landowners, and a long standing relationship with the US Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management.

For further information, contact the Oregon Department of Forestry at these local offices:

La Grande Unit (541) 963-3168
Baker City Sub-Unit (541) 523-5831
Wallowa Unit (541) 886-2881
Pendleton Unit (541) 276-3491
To report a fire, call 9-1-1.