Fire Danger Level Increases to High on ODF Protected Lands in Northeast Oregon District
La Grande, OR—The fire danger level on lands protected by the Oregon Department of Forestry in Northeast Oregon will increase to “high” (yellow) on Monday, July 8, 2024, at 12:01 a.m. This change affects private, state, county, municipal, and tribal lands in seven counties: Union, Baker, Wallowa, Umatilla, and small portions of Malheur, Grant, and Morrow Counties. This area encompasses approximately 2 million acres of protected lands.
The increased fire restrictions are meant to prevent or minimize human-caused wildfires and to safeguard natural resources, public health, and safety. "Normal summer weather is forecasted for the foreseeable future, with high temperatures. These conditions, along with the rising fire danger, have led us to implement additional fire restrictions," said Matt Hoehna, Assistant District Forester.
The Public Use Restrictions
(High Fire Danger) include the following fire prevention measures:
- Open
fires are prohibited, 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 from noon to 8 p.m.
- 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.
- Cutting,
grinding, and welding of metal is prohibited from Noon-8 p.m.
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, a minimum of 1-gallon of water, or 2 ½ pound or
larger fire extinguisher.
- Mowing
dried and cured grass with power-driven equipment is prohibited from
noon to 8 p.m., except for the commercial culture and harvest of
agricultural crops.
- Electric
string trimmers are allowed all day.
- Any
electric fence controller in use shall be: 1) Listed by a nationally
recognized testing laboratory or certified by the Department of Consumer
and Business Services; and 2) Operated in compliance with the
manufacturer’s instructions.
- 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.
PROHIBITED:
- All
open debris burning, and the use of burn barrels.
- Use of
fireworks.
- Use of
exploding targets.
- Use of
tracer ammunition or any bullet with a pyrotechnic charge in its base.
- Smoking
while traveling, except in vehicles on improved roads, in boats on the
water, or in a cleared area free of flammable vegetation.
- Use of sky lanterns throughout the year in Oregon.
For further information, contact
the Oregon Department of Forestry at these local offices:
La Grande
Unit
(541) 963-3168
Baker CitySub-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 or by calling the Northeast Oregon Fire Prevention line: (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/
Call Blue Mountain Interagency
Dispatch at (541)963-7171 or dial 9-1-1 to report a fire.
##
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.