Fire Prevention Measures Remain:  Precipitation is Not Enough to Reduce Fire
Danger

[The Dalles, Ore.]  With rain in the forecast,
Oregon Department of Forestry (ODF) fire officials want to remind the public
that both Hood River and Wasco counties still have a burn ban in place,
prohibiting all open burning.  This restriction includes debris pile burning
and burn barrels. Lifting of the burn ban is coordinated between ODF and Fire
Districts in Hood River and Wasco counties.  Fire District officials will continue
to monitor conditions, including fuel moisture levels, forecasted temperature
and wind, and relative humidity.  These conditions help them to evaluate
the potential for fire spread and how easily a spark might ignite nearby
fuels. 

In addition to the burn ban, Fire Season and a
Regulated-Use Closure are still in effect for private ownership, as well as
state and municipally owned lands in Hood River and Wasco counties within ODF’s
Central Oregon District.  The associated prevention measures are intended
to reduce potential human caused fire ignitions in wildland fuels.  Recent
rain and precipitation forecasted for later this week and weekend is not enough
to eliminate the effects of long-term drought and a dry summer on vegetation
and forest fuels.

“We are getting closer to loosening some of our
restrictions”, commented Kristin Dodd, Unit Forester for The Dalles Unit. 
“The cooler temperatures and shorter days, combined with recent precipitation
definitely lessened our fire risk, but it is still too risky to open backyard
burning quite yet.”  Much of the impact on fuels from last week’s rain has
been lost due to wind and warm temperatures.  Large fuels especially need
more moisture and flashy fuels such as grass quickly dry out and become
receptive fuel beds to sparks.

The public
is asked to be patient, continue following prevention measures, and limit any
activities which could ignite a wildfire.  Once conditions are favorable for burning, fire officials
will lift the burn ban accordingly.

In addition
to restrictions on open fires, Regulated-Use Closure also prohibits smoking
outside a vehicle in forest settings, and restricts chainsaw use and mowing of
dried grass between 10 a.m. and 8 p.m.  Details for all activities
impacted by Fire Season and the Regulated-Use Closure are
available at www.odfcentraloregon.com.

For
additional information on ODF’s Central Oregon District, including contact
information and unit offices, please visit www.ODFcentraloregon.com.