La Grande, OR – Wildfire risk is rising rapidly with warmer and drier weather, which has prompted the Oregon Department of Forestry-Northeast Oregon District to implement High Fire Restrictions on lands protected by ODF, which will go into effect beginning at 12:01 a.m. on Wednesday, July 12th, 2023. The primary objective of these additional fire prevention measures is to prevent human-caused fires.
Tinder-dry Forest fuels increase the chance of a spark or cinder igniting a wildland fire. These restrictions affect private, state, county, municipal, and tribal lands in seven counties: Union, Baker, Wallowa, Umatilla, and small portions of Malheur, Grant, and Morrow Counties. Remember, “Only you can prevent wildfires!” The public’s awareness of the increasing fire danger and cooperation is essential to a safe fire season.
High fire danger restrictions include
the following fire prevention measures:
PROHIBITED:
- All open debris burning and the use of burn barrels.
- Open fires, including campfires, charcoal fires, cooking fires,
and warming fires, except at designated locations.
- Portable cooking stoves using liquefied or bottled fuels are
allowed.
- Propane fire pits are allowed if they are self-contained
and 3 feet away from any flammable fuels with a maximum flame height of 2
feet.
- Non-industrial Chainsaw use is prohibited Noon-8PM.
- Non-industrial chainsaw use is allowed at all other hours
if the following firefighting equipment is present with each operating
saw: one shovel or other firefighting tool, and one 8 ounce or larger
fire extinguisher or 1-gallon of water.
In addition, a fire watch is required at least one hour following
the end of chainsaw use.
- Electric Chainsaws are allowed all day.
- Use of fireworks.
- Use of exploding targets.
- Use of tracer ammunition or any bullet with a pyrotechnic charge
in its base.
- Any electric fence controller in use shall be: 1) Listed by a
nationally recognized testing laboratory or be certified by the Department
of Consumer and Business Services; and 2) Operated in compliance with
manufacturer’s instructions.
- Smoking while traveling, except in vehicles on improved roads, in
boats on the water, or at a cleared area free of flammable vegetation.
- Possession of the following firefighting equipment is required for any vehicle/UTV/ATV traveling on unimproved roadways, where flammable vegetation exists on roadway; shovel or other firefighting tool, minimum of 1-gallon of water, or 2 ½ pound or larger fire extinguisher.
- Mowing of dried and cured grass with
power driven equipment is prohibited Noon-8PM, except for the
commercial culture and harvest of agricultural crops.
- Electric string
trimmers are allowed all day.
- Cutting, grinding, and
welding of metal is prohibited Noon-8PM. Cutting, grinding, and
welding of metal is permitted at all other hours, if conducted in a 10-foot
area cleared of flammable vegetation, shovel or other firefighting tool,
minimum of 1-gallon of water, or 2 ½ pound or larger fire extinguisher.
- Use of sky lanterns throughout the year in Oregon.
Aside from these restrictions, also prohibited is the use of exploding targets and tracer ammunition.
These restrictions shall remain in effect until replaced, suspended, or terminated by additional proclamations.
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
Current fire restrictions for forestlands in Northeast Oregon can be found at www.bmidc.org. The Northeast Oregon Fire Prevention line is (541) 975-3027.
http://bluemountainfireinfo.blogspot.com/ is your spot for current fire information in the Blue Mountains.
Find us on Facebook
at:
https://www.facebook.com/oregondeptofforestryNEO/
To report a fire, call Blue
Mountain Interagency Dispatch at (541) 963-7171 or dial 9-1-1.
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