(Pendleton,
OR, September 10, 2026) — Effective tomorrow, September 11, Umatilla National Forest
officials will ease public use restrictions (PURs) to Phase A, which is the lowest
level of restrictions that are generally implemented when the fire danger is
moderate to high.
PURs are phased in collectively, as conditions warrant, and
may differ from Forest to Forest. Restrictions under Phase A include:
·
Chainsaws may be operated only between the hours
of 8 p.m. and 1 p.m. local time. A one-hour fire watch is required after saw
operations cease. Saw operators are required to have an axe (minimum 2 lb.
head, 26” length), shovel (8” wide, 26” length), and fire extinguisher (minimum
ABC 8 0z.) in their possession. **Chainsaw operations associated with
commercial and personal use firewood permits are regulated under the conditions
of the permit and are not impacted by this public use restriction.
·
Smoking is allowed only in enclosed vehicles,
buildings or cleared areas at least three feet in diameter.
·
No off-road/off-trail vehicle travel or travel
on roads not cleared of standing grass or other flammable material; no vehicle
travel on those Forest Service roads where access has been impeded or blocked
by earthen berm, logs, boulders, barrier, barricade or gate, or as otherwise
identified in the Fire Order. Except for the purpose of traveling to and from a
dispersed campsite within 300-feet of the open and developed road. Vehicles
must be parked in an area devoid of any vegetation and flammable material.
The public is also encouraged to practice safe campfire
principles when recreating in dispersed and developed campsites. Forest
officials recommend the following campfire safety precautions:
·
Campfires should be in fire pits surrounded by
dirt, rock, or commercial rings and in areas not conducive to rapid fire
spread. All flammable material shall be cleared within a 3-foot radius from the
edge of the pit and free of overhanging material. Use existing pits wherever
possible. (Note: within the Grande Ronde Scenic Waterway, campfires must be
contained in a fireproof container (i.e., “fire pan”) with sides of a height
sufficient to contain all ash and debris, and all ashes and debris must be
removed from the river corridor. Do not use or construct fire pits or rock fire
rings within the Scenic Waterway.)
·
Wood burning stoves should be equipped with a
chimney at least 5-feet in length with a spark arresting screen consisting of ¼
inch mesh hardware cloth. All combustible material should be removed within a
3-foot radius of the perimeter of stoves.
·
Campfires must be attended at all times and
completely extinguished prior to leaving.
·
People with campfires should carry a tool that
can serve as a shovel and one gallon of water in their possession. The intent
of this recommendation is to ensure individuals with a campfire have the tools
necessary to completely extinguish their campfire.
The public’s awareness of the fire danger and cooperation is
essential to a safe fire season. Recreationists, firewood cutters, hunters, and
other forest users can all help by adhering to restrictions, operating safely
and cautiously, and keeping up to date on the latest orders and regulations.
Regulated closures may be in effect on state and private
lands protected by Oregon Department of Forestry (ODF) in northeast and central
Oregon. Please check with your local Oregon Department of Forestry office for
PURs on lands protected by ODF. For more complete information, contact a local
Oregon Department of Forestry office or visit one of the interagency dispatch
centers’ webpages:
·
Blue Mountain Interagency Dispatch webpage: www.bmidc.org
·
John Day Interagency Dispatch webpage: http://bicc-jdidc.org/index.shtml
Similar restrictions may also be in effect on State and
privet lands protected by the Washington Department of Natural Resources
(WA-DNR). More information can be found on the WA-DNR website at http://www.dnr.wa.gov/.
For more information about the Umatilla National Forest’s
Public Use Restrictions, please contact the Umatilla National Forest
Information Hotline at (877)-958-9663, visit our website at https://www.fs.usda.gov/r06/umatilla,
or visit the Blue Mountain Fire Blog at http://bluemountainfireinfo.blogspot.com/.
About the Forest Service: The Forest Service has, for
more than 100 years, brought people and communities together to answer the call
of conservation. Grounded in world-class science and technology — and rooted in
communities — the Forest Service connects people to nature and to each other.
The Forest Service cares for shared natural resources in ways that promote
lasting economic, ecological, and social vitality. The agency manages 193
million acres of public land, provides assistance to state and private
landowners, and maintains the largest wildland fire and forestry research
organizations in the world. The Forest Service also has either a direct or
indirect role in stewardship of about 900 million forested acres within the
U.S., of which over 130 million acres are urban forests where most Americans
live.
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