National Forests move to Phase C Public Use Restrictions

PENDLETON and BAKER CITY, Ore. – Due to continued hot temperatures, lack of moisture and extreme fire danger, National Forest officials have announced that effective 12:01 a.m. on Thursday, August 9, 2018, the Umatilla and Wallowa-Whitman National Forests will move to Phase C of public use restrictions (PURs).  

With concern for public safety and the increased potential for human caused wildfires, officials remind forest visitors to use extreme caution when visiting the forest; under current conditions, even a spark can rapidly become a large wildfire.

Phase C PURs is the third level of restrictions and includes:

·       Campfires are prohibited on the Forest. Use liquid and bottle (propane) gas stoves only.

·       No internal combustion engine operation (including chainsaws), except for motorized vehicles.

o   Electrical generators operated under the following conditions are allowed:

·       in the center of an area at least 10 feet in diameter that is barren or cleared of all flammable material, or;

·       when fully contained within a pickup truck bed that is empty of all flammable material, or;

·       when factory installed in a recreational vehicle and the generator exhaust discharge is located in the center of an area at least 10 feet in diameter that is barren or cleared of all flammable material.

·       No off-road/off-trail vehicle travel or travel on roads not cleared of standing grass or other flammable material. Vehicle travel is never permitted on currently closed forest service roads where access has been impeded or blocked by earthen berms, logs, boulders, barriers, barricades or gates, or as otherwise identified in a closure order.

·       Smoking is allowed only in enclosed vehicles and buildings, developed recreation sites, or in cleared areas.

Please remember that it is your responsibility to know what restrictions are in place when visiting public lands.

To report a wildfire call 911, or contact:

·       Blue Mountain Interagency Dispatch Center 541-963-7171

·       John Day Interagency Dispatch Center 541-575-1321

Regulated closures are 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 public use restrictions on lands protected by ODF.  For more complete information contact a local Oregon Department of Forestry office or visit one of the interagency dispatch center’s webpages:

Blue Mountain Interagency Dispatch webpage: www.bmidc.org

John Day Interagency Dispatch webpage:  http://bicc-jdidc.org/index.shtml

Similar restrictions may be in effect on State and private 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 regarding Phase C Public Use Restrictions, please contact:

Umatilla National Forest:

Information Hotline: Toll-Free (877) 958-9663

www.facebook.com/UmatillaNF

Twitter: @UmatillaNF

Wallowa-Whitman National Forest:

Information Hotlines: Baker City (541) 523-6391; La Grande (541) 962-8679; Joseph (541) 426-5552

www.facebook.com/WallowaWhitmanNF

Twitter: @WallowaWhitman

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