The Dalles, Ore. – As of Monday, September 4, 2023, at 12:01 a.m. ODF’s The Dalles Unit will be reducing industrial fire precaution level (IFPL) to an IFPL II (two) for MH-1 and MH-4 (Hood River and Wasco County). The Central Oregon District is in High Fire Danger and the burn ban and Regulated Use Closure on ODF-protected lands and all fire districts in Hood River and Wasco County remains in effect.
Under IFPL II, the use of fire or power-driven machinery in any operation area is unlawful unless such use is in compliance with the following:
Limited Shutdown: The following activities are not permitted between the hours of 1:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m., except as noted:
- Power saws, except power saws may operate at loading sites;
- Feller-bunchers with rotary head saws;
- Cable yarding
- Blasting
- Welding, cutting, or grinding of metal
In addition, the fire watch requirement for this level is reduced from a minimum of three hours to a minimum of two hours during breaks and at the end of the operation period.
The department is urging Oregonians to remain vigilant when it comes to wildfire prevention. We understand that areas across the Central Oregon District have received a little bit of rainfall, however it is not enough to prevent wildfires. There is still a decent amount of summer left and fuel conditions remain extremely dry. Go to the website below or call your local fire district or ODF office to find out local restrictions.
Oregon is currently in a Preparedness Level 5, which is the highest level of wildland fire activity. Firefighters and resources are stretched thin, meaning the less human-caused fires there are to respond to the less our resources are strained.
For more information on wildfire prevention, visit www.keeporegongreen.org. For information on the Central Oregon District, including current restrictions in effect, visit https://odfcentraloregon.com/.