FIRE SEASON
"FIRE SEASON BEGINS MONDAY ON ODF-PROTECTED LANDS IN JACKSON AND JOSEPHINE COUNTIES".
Fire season on forestlands protected by the Oregon Dept. of Forestry's Southwest District begins at 12:01 a.m. on Monday, June 16. The fire danger level will be "moderate" (blue), and the Industrial Fire Precaution Level (IFPL) will be 1 (one). This declaration affects state, private, county and Bureau of Land Management forestlands in Jackson and Josephine counties.
Fire season is declared by the state forester when weather conditions and dry vegetation make fires difficult to control.
Here is a summary of fire season restrictions that go into effect on Monday:
Debris burning will be prohibited, except in burn barrels for which a permit has been issued. To obtain a permit, contact the Oregon Dept. of Forestry's unit offices in Medford or Grants Pass. Also, local fire districts may require an additional permit.
The use of fireworks on forestlands will be prohibited.
In the Wild and Scenic section of the Rogue River between Grave Creek and Marial:
Camp fires must be in fire pans or on fire blankets that are placed on sand or gravel bars between the river and the high water mark, and only in areas which are naturally free of flammable vegetation.
Smoking will be permitted on sand and gravel bars between the river and the high water mark, and only in areas naturally free of flammable vegetation, or in boats and rafts while on the river.
Fireworks will be prohibited.
Travelers must carry a shovel and a bucket with at a least a one-gallon capacity.
Commercial operations, such as timber harvesting, conducted on forestlands will be required to have fire suppression equipment on the job site at all times, and a watchman must be provided.
In 2007, the district declared fire season on June 11 and ended it on Oct. 1.
