[Prineville, Ore.] Beginning June 1, 2021 the John Day Unit will
join The Dalles and Prineville units of the Oregon Department of Forestry’s Central
Oregon District in implementing fire season. Cooler temperatures and precipitation
over the last few weeks has been a welcome reprieve from the rising fire danger
observed this spring. However, warm
temperatures and windy conditions in the forecast will quickly dry wildland
fuels bringing the return of unseasonably high wildfire danger across the area.
Human caused fires for 2021 within ODF’s Central
Oregon District are more than double the ten-year-average for fire starts
year-to-date. Thirty-one fires have
burned 243 acres of ODF protected lands already this year. On average the District responds to 136 fires
each year; 66 lightning starts and 70 human ignitions.
Fire Season Regulations
The following acts are prohibited during fire season
in accordance with ORS 477.510 and ORS 477.512:
·
Smoking while
working in or traveling through any operation area.
·
The use of fuse
and caps for blasting, unless approval is granted by the forester.
·
The discharge of
an exploding target inside the district or within one-eighth mile of the
district.
·
The discharge of
tracer ammunition on land that is within the district or within one-eighth mile
of the district, or when discharged, crosses above land that is within the
district or within one-eighth mile of the district.
Operators should refer to www.oregon.gov/odf/fire/Documents/fire-season-requirements-for-industrial-operations.pdf
for information specific to industrial operations during fire season, or call
their local ODF Office.
John Day Unit—Grant, Wheeler, Morrow,
Harney, & Gilliam Counties (541)575-1139
·
Burning of
logging slash and larger debris piles is not currently allowed in the John Day
Unit.
·
Burning yard
debris and burn barrels is no longer permitted on lands protected by ODF.
Prineville Unit-Crook, Jefferson, and
Deschutes Counties (541)447-5658
·
Burning of
logging slash is not allowed at this time.
·
Contact the local
fire departments to obtain burn permits for burning yard debris where
allowed.
The Dalles Unit-Wasco and Hood River
Counties (541)296-4626
·
IFPL 1 in effect
for MH-1(east of Hwy 35 in Hood River and Wasco counties) and MH-4 (west of Hwy
35 in Hood River County)
·
Burn ban in
effect for Hood River and Wasco counties begins June 1, 2021.
For additional information on ODF’s Central Oregon
District, including contact information and unit offices, please visit www.ODFcentraloregon.com.