Blue Mountain Fire Information: Public Use Restrictions increase to Phase B on the Malheur, Umatilla and Wallowa-Whitman National Forests

JOHN DAY, PENDLETON, and BAKER CITY, Ore. (July 20, 2023) — Malheur, Umatilla and Wallowa-Whitman National Forest officials will implement Phase B Public Use Restrictions at 12:01 a.m. (pacific time) on Friday, July 21, due to high fire danger, the potential for human-caused fires, and concern for public safety. The increased restrictions pertain to the use of campfires, smoking, chainsaws, internal combustion engines, and generators.

Beginning Friday, campfires will ONLY be allowed in designated campgrounds and recreation sites. Liquefied or bottled gas stoves and heaters are allowed for cooking and heating. A list of designated recreation sites is available on each of the forest’s websites.

Operating an internal combustion engine, such as a chainsaw, is prohibited without a valid permit. Commercial and personal use firewood permits are regulated by the conditions of the permit and separate from restrictions under this public use restriction.

Generators will only be allowed in the center of an area at least 10 feet in diameter that is cleared of all flammable material, or; when fully contained within a pickup truck bed that is devoid 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 cleared of all flammable material.

Smoking is only allowed within enclosed vehicles, buildings, and developed recreation sites or when stopped in an area cleared of all flammable material.

As a reminder: No off-road vehicle travel is allowed: Possessing or using a motor vehicle off National Forest roads and motorized trails is prohibited, except for the purpose of parking in an area free of vegetation within 10 feet of the roadway. Motorized travel on roads closed by gates, barricades, berms, rocks, or logs is prohibited.

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 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 also 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/.

Fire Restrictions may also be implemented on areas managed by the Bureau of Land Management, Vale District. More information can be found on the BLM website at: www.blm.gov/office/vale-district-office.

Please remember that it is everyone’s responsibility to know what restrictions are in place when visiting public lands. Additional restrictions may apply on each individual Forest. For more information regarding restrictions on the Malheur, Umatilla and Wallowa-Whitman National Forests, please contact:

Malheur National Forest:

Website: https://www.fs.usda.gov/malheur

Supervisor’s Office: John Day (541) 575-3000; Prairie City (541) 820-3800; Hines (541) 573-4300

www.facebook.com/MalheurNationalForest

Twitter: @MalheurNF

Umatilla National Forest:

Toll-Free (877) 958-9663

https://www.fs.usda.gov/umatilla

Facebook: www.facebook.com/UmatillaNF

Twitter: @UmatillaNF

Wallowa-Whitman National Forest:

Website: https://www.fs.usda.gov/wallowa-whitman/