August 19, 2011
Contact: Jamie Paul, Oregon Dept. of Forestry – No. Cascade District, 503-829-2216
MOLALLA – Warm, dry weather has prompted the Oregon Department of Forestry (ODF) to increase fire safety restrictions in the North Cascade Forest Protection District beginning Wednesday, Aug. 17. The North Cascade District protects private, State and some Federal forestlands in portions of Multnomah, Clackamas, Marion and northern Linn counties. A regulated use closure is now in place for all private and public lands within the ODF protection boundary. Most summers, these restrictions would already be in place, but this year’s weather allowed for a delay.
Fire season officially started July 13 and although the dry summer weather has been late in coming this year, vegetation has now had time to dry out and the fire threat is in full force. The decision to institute the regulated-use closure in the region was based on the continued drying of wildland fuels, and forecasted weather patterns calling for warmer and drier weather with no measurable precipitation in the foreseeable future.
“The message right now is that we’ve had a delayed start to fire season and because of that, people have gotten complacent about fire danger,” said Christian Paul, protection supervisor for the ODF Molalla Unit.
Several recent fires in the Molalla, Colton and Clarkes-Highland areas have caused concern for ODF fire managers. One fire took off quickly in dried grasses and threatened a nearby barn. For all-wood buildings, ODF recommends keeping nearby vegetation well-trimmed and putting a few feet of rock between the building and the grass.
“I think one of the take-home prevention methods ODF would recommend is for homeowners to keep vegetation lean and green around their houses and structures,” Paul said.
Another fire was caused by juveniles. ODF reminds parents to stay aware of their children’s activities during the summer months and to reinforce the message that fire, matches and lighters are “tools, not toys.”
The stepped-up restrictions include the following:
1. Smoking is prohibited while traveling, except in vehicles on improved roads, in boats on the water, and on sand or gravel bars that lie between water and high water marks that are free of vegetation.
2. 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.
3. Chainsaw use is prohibited, between the hours of 1 p.m. and 8 p.m., in areas subject to Industrial Fire Precaution Level I and II. Chainsaw use is permitted at all other hours, if the following firefighting equipment is present with each operating saw: one ax, one shovel, and one operational 8 oz. or larger fire extinguisher. In addition a fire watch is required at least one hour following the use of each saw.
4. Chainsaw use is prohibited in areas subject to Industrial Fire Precaution Level III and IV.
5. Use of motorized vehicles, including motorcycles and all terrain vehicles, is prohibited, except on improved roads or for the commercial culture and harvest of agricultural crops.
6. All motor vehicles must be equipped with one gallon of water or one operational 2-½ lb. or larger fire extinguisher, one ax, and one shovel, except when traveling on state highways and county roads and driveways. All-terrain vehicles and motorcycles must be equipped with one operational 2-½ lb. or larger fire extinguisher, except when traveling on state highways and county roads.
7. Use of fireworks is prohibited.
8. Cutting, grinding and welding of metal is prohibited between the hours of 1 p.m. and 8 p.m. Cutting, grinding and welding of metal is permitted at all other hours, if conducted in a cleared area and if a water supply is present.
9. Mowing of dried and cured grass with power driven equipment is prohibited, between the hours of 10 a.m. and 8 p.m., except for the commercial culture and harvest of agricultural crops.
10. Blasting is prohibited, between the hours of 1 p.m. and 8 p.m.
11. Use of exploding targets is prohibited.
12. 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 instruction for fire safe operation.
For more information, contact your local Oregon Dept. of Forestry office. In Molalla, call 503-829-2216. In Lyons, call 503-859-2151.
Showing posts with label dry weather. Show all posts
Showing posts with label dry weather. Show all posts
Monday, August 22, 2011
Tuesday, June 28, 2011
South Cascade, Western Lane districts declare wildfire season July 2
The Oregon Department of Forestry’s (ODF) South Cascade and Western Lane districts announced today that wildfire season will begin on July 2 in all of Lane county as well as eastern Linn county. The South Cascade District protects more than 1.1 million acres of private and public lands from wildfire within the two-county area. The Western Lane District protects 750,650 acres in western Lane County.
“While the spring has been wet and cool, July and August will bring the typical dry and warm weather that will cause the grass and brush to cure out quickly, South Cascade District Forester Lena Tucker said. “We want the public to enjoy their summer weekend outings and always keep fire prevention in their thoughts.”
Cooperator’s help key to 2010 fire season success
“As the 2011 fire season gets underway, I especially want to thank private landowners for their firefighting help last year,” Western Lane District Forester Grant Smith said. “Private landowners together with ODF, the U.S. Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management and rural fire departments, are a key component of Oregon’s complete and coordinated fire protection system,” he said.
What fire season means
Entry into fire season imposes certain restrictions on recreational and work activities in the forest. Industrial operations are required to have firefighting equipment on site. Since restrictions may vary, it is advisable to check with the nearest ODF office for rules specific to the local area.
In eastern Linn County, Regulated-Use Closures will be in effect within one-half mile of the Quartzville Rd. from Green Peter Dam to the U.S. Forest Service’s Willamette National Forest boundary. Under this closure, campfires are permitted only at designated locations and on sand or gravel bars that lie between the water and high water marks where there is no vegetation. Use of fireworks is prohibited in this corridor.
Industrial Fire Precaution levels (IFPL) are part of ODF’s closure system that regulates industrial activity in the forests west of the Cascade Mountains. When fire season takes effect, the districts will be at an IFPL 1, which imposes the fewest restrictions and generally requires a fire watch at industrial forest operation sites. IFPL details can be found at: www.oregon.gov/ODF/FIRE/ifpl.shtml
Wildfire facts
On the lands protected by the Department of Forestry, the 10-year average is about 1,100 wildfires burning a total of 26,000 acres. In a typical year, about two-thirds of the fires are caused by people and the remainder by lightning. Of the human-caused fires, fewer than half are caused by forest landowners and operators. And operators alone account for only about nine percent. Across all Oregon forest protection jurisdictions, about 2,600 wildfires burn roughly 239,000 acres annually on average.
Through June 27, two lightning-caused fires have burned less than one acre on lands protected by ODF. During that period, 43 human-caused fires burned about 26 acres.
The Oregon Department of Forestry provides fire protection to 16 million acres of private and public forestlands statewide, including 2.8 million acres of federal Bureau of Land Management lands. There are about 30.4 million acres of forest in Oregon.
“While the spring has been wet and cool, July and August will bring the typical dry and warm weather that will cause the grass and brush to cure out quickly, South Cascade District Forester Lena Tucker said. “We want the public to enjoy their summer weekend outings and always keep fire prevention in their thoughts.”
Cooperator’s help key to 2010 fire season success
“As the 2011 fire season gets underway, I especially want to thank private landowners for their firefighting help last year,” Western Lane District Forester Grant Smith said. “Private landowners together with ODF, the U.S. Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management and rural fire departments, are a key component of Oregon’s complete and coordinated fire protection system,” he said.
What fire season means
Entry into fire season imposes certain restrictions on recreational and work activities in the forest. Industrial operations are required to have firefighting equipment on site. Since restrictions may vary, it is advisable to check with the nearest ODF office for rules specific to the local area.
In eastern Linn County, Regulated-Use Closures will be in effect within one-half mile of the Quartzville Rd. from Green Peter Dam to the U.S. Forest Service’s Willamette National Forest boundary. Under this closure, campfires are permitted only at designated locations and on sand or gravel bars that lie between the water and high water marks where there is no vegetation. Use of fireworks is prohibited in this corridor.
Industrial Fire Precaution levels (IFPL) are part of ODF’s closure system that regulates industrial activity in the forests west of the Cascade Mountains. When fire season takes effect, the districts will be at an IFPL 1, which imposes the fewest restrictions and generally requires a fire watch at industrial forest operation sites. IFPL details can be found at: www.oregon.gov/ODF/FIRE/ifpl.shtml
Wildfire facts
On the lands protected by the Department of Forestry, the 10-year average is about 1,100 wildfires burning a total of 26,000 acres. In a typical year, about two-thirds of the fires are caused by people and the remainder by lightning. Of the human-caused fires, fewer than half are caused by forest landowners and operators. And operators alone account for only about nine percent. Across all Oregon forest protection jurisdictions, about 2,600 wildfires burn roughly 239,000 acres annually on average.
Through June 27, two lightning-caused fires have burned less than one acre on lands protected by ODF. During that period, 43 human-caused fires burned about 26 acres.
The Oregon Department of Forestry provides fire protection to 16 million acres of private and public forestlands statewide, including 2.8 million acres of federal Bureau of Land Management lands. There are about 30.4 million acres of forest in Oregon.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
