ODF Urges Caution With
Hot Dry Weather
Regulated-Use Closure is in effect for lands protected
by the Central Oregon District. Activities
on private, state, and municipally owned lands within the protection district
boundary must adhere to the restrictions.
The Regulated-Use Closure prohibits fireworks and campfires (except in
designated areas) within the district boundary; tracer ammunition and exploding
targets are prohibited during fire season. Additional restrictions can be found
at www.odfcentraloregon.com.
the Columbia Gorge have implemented restrictions intended to reduce
wildfires. Many of these restrictions
include bans on fireworks and campfires.
Verify prevention measures with local fire department or ODF office
prior to planning your activities.
“Fuels are extremely receptive to ignitions, even from
small embers, and when combined with wind and low humidity fires are really
growing quickly,” says Rob Pentzer, Assistant District Forester for the Central
Oregon District. “We need to do whatever
we can to keep fire off the landscape.
We’ve been pretty successful so far catching fires small but every day
the fires are pushing our firefighters harder and they are getting harder to
catch, requiring more resources to stop them where they threaten homes and
communities.”
While wildland fuels may be burning like we would
typically see in August, it is still early in a fire season which may last well
into September. In 2021 fire fighters
within the Central Oregon District have responded to 39 human caused fires on
ODF
protected lands, 13 more than the ten-year average. Eleven lightning fires have been suppressed
this year, with the ten-year average being nine. In addition to responses on ODF protection
they have provided mutual aid and support to partner agencies such as the BLM,
US Forest Service, and rural fire departments.
District, including contact information and unit offices, please visit www.ODFcentraloregon.com.