Fall precipitation ends fire season for lands protected by Oregon Department of Forestry

As of 12:01 am, October 14, 2017, the Oregon Department of Forestry (ODF) has terminated fire season for forestlands protected by the Northeast Oregon District.  This includes private, state, county, municipal and tribal lands protected by Oregon Department of Forestry.  The Northeast Oregon District includes lands in the following counties:  Union, Baker, Umatilla, Wallowa and small portions of Grant, Morrow and Malheur counties.  The current weather pattern has provided enough moisture to significantly reduce the fire danger.    Matt Hoehna, Unit Forester, Pendleton Unit encourages people to remain vigilant. “We’ve gotten some moisture and it has reduced our fire danger, but the condition of the light fuels, grasses and light brush, can change quickly with wind or sunny days.  When you are burning debris or slash piles remember to follow smoke management forecasts.  If weather conditions become warm and dry, we ask that landowners check the piles that they previously burned for remaining heat that could cause problems.  We often find ourselves fighting escaped burns in October and November.”

With the termination of fire season, requirements for obtaining a burn permit for residential yard debris burning are no longer in effect. 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 or small amounts of yard debris are not required on lands protected by the Oregon Department of Forestry.  In addition, burning within the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation requires a permit from CTUIR.  Follow all requirements within the permit.

·       Burning slash from forestry and logging activities requires a Notification of Operation/PDM from ODF.  In addition to this permit, the local ODF 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 ODF office at least 7 days prior to burning and burning accomplishments after 7 days. 

The Northeast Oregon District of the Oregon Department of Forestry would like to thank all of our landowners, forest operators and the public for their efforts in fire prevention, detection and suppression activities this season.  In 2017, Northeast Oregon District experienced a lower number of fire starts and acres burned than the 10-year average.

For further information, call your local ODF office:

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 the Blue Mountain Interagency Dispatch Center at (541)963-7171, or dial 9-1-1. 

       

http://bluemountainfireinfo.blogspot.com/ is your spot for current fire information in the Blue Mountains. 

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