Fire articles

Effective immediately all  debris and slash burning on lands protected by Oregon Department of Forestry’s (ODF) John Day Unit is prohibited.  This includes private ownership in Grant, Morrow, Gilliam, Harney, Umatilla, and Wheeler counties which are part of ODF’s Central Oregon District.  Fuel conditions and changing weather patterns have increased the risk of rapid fire spread from uncontrolled fires.  If you have questions regarding burning on land protected by ODF in the John Day Unit please call 541-575-1139. Last year in an effort to improve...

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David Jacobs, Recently retired Unit Forester in The Dalles Unit [The Dalles, Ore.]  In December, David Jacobs, Central Oregon District’s (COD) long time Unit Forester in The Dalles, retired after thirty-five fire seasons with the Oregon Department of Forestry (ODF).  Many landowners and cooperators don’t remember a time when David wasn’t an integral part of the wildfire protection program. Throughout his tenure David has provided leadership during intense and difficult fire seasons, participated on ODF’s Incident Management Teams statewide, and worked with...

Date: 12/12/16 News Release – For Immediate ReleaseContact: Kristin Dodd, ODF (541)296-4626    Crook County Forestland Classification Committee -Public Meeting-  The Crook County Forestland Classification Committee has called a public meeting at the following time and location.  TIME:                                 10:00 - 12:00 P.M. Tuesday December 20, 2016...

The 2016 Fire Season in ODF’s Central Oregon District (COD) wrapped up October 14th as fall rains and cooler temperatures reduced the risk of large fire growth.  At first glance 2016 appears to be a return to “normal” when compared to the historic fire seasons of 2013, 2014, and 2015.  Year-to-date, ninety-seven fires have burned 2,456 acres protected by COD.  The ten-year average for this time period is 156 fires, burning 11,958 acres.   Fuel conditions in May and early June looked as though 2016 would be similar to the previous three fire...

The 2016 Fire Season for lands protected by Oregon Department of Forestry’s (ODF) Central Oregon District (COD) will terminate at 12:01 am October 14, 2016.  Powerful winter storms are expected to cross central Oregon starting today, bringing moisture and cooler conditions, reducing the risk of wildfire.  “Reducing is the key word,” says Ben Duda, Sisters’ Assistant Unit Forester.  “We all need to be cautious and responsible in our activities.  Just because fire season is over doesn’t mean things won’t burn.” COD firefighters have responded to...

October 5, 2017 at 12:01 am.  Fire season is still in effect, and MH-1 and MH-4 remain at Industrial Fire Precaution Level 1. While restrictions on campfires and warming fires has been lifted, burn barrels and burning of debris may still be prohibited.  Check with your local ODF office.   Restrictions on activities such as chainsaw use, off-road vehicle use and mowing of dried grass has also been lifted.  District Forester Mike Shaw stated, “With the weather forecast, and the current fuel conditions the risk of ignition from these types of...

MH-1 and MH-4 in The Dalles Unit will be moving to Industrial Fire Precaution Level 1 effective October 3, 2016 at 12:00 PM.  This means operators can work all day, with a one hour fire watch required following operations.  All fire tools and water supplies are still required.  Follow this link for the full Closedown Order:  IFPL Requirements.  Please call Chet Behling, Stewardship Forester in The Dalles for further information, (541)296-4626. ODF's Central Oregon District remains in fire season, with Regulated...

CENTRAL OREGON— Crews in the Maury Mountains are engaged in a fire suppression effort today after a wind event yesterday afternoon pushed a prescribed burn outside planned containment lines. The Ochoco National Forest had been conducting a prescribed burn to improve the natural resources within a 333-acre unit near Elkhorn campground and Forest Road 16.   Around 4 pm yesterday, an unexpected reversal of wind direction associated with a storm system from the south pushed fire north of the burn unit and carried it onto private ranch lands. Firefighters are working...

Cooler temperatures and shorter days mark the on-set of fall throughout central Oregon, however the change of the seasons isn’t an indicator of fire danger.  Fire danger remains HIGH throughout ODF’s Central Oregon District (COD).  The fire risk is primarily due to the lack of measurable precipitation throughout central Oregon for the past several months.  The limited moisture has kept fuel conditions dry, especially in the medium and large fuels.  Finer fuels such as grass are affected by the unstable weather patterns and can vary throughout the...

     Media Alert September 15, 2016   Contacts:  Heather Cassaro, City of Redmond Communications Manager, 541-504-3031                    Kassidy Kern, Deschutes National Forest Public Affairs, 541-383-5517  On Monday, September 19, 2016 the City of Redmond, the U.S. Forest Service, the Bureau of Land Management and the Oregon Department of Forestry will host a ground-breaking ceremony for the new Central Oregon Interagency Dispatch Center (COIDC)...

Central Oregon – In the past month, Central Oregon has had numerous human caused fires. Now, Oregon State Police along with the U.S. Forest Service, U.S. Forest Service Law Enforcement, Bureau of Land Management, Oregon Department of Forestry and Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office believe that several of those fires were intentionally started. Specific details will not be released while investigations are ongoing. While an investigation by all cooperating agencies is in progress, we would like to urge the public to report suspicious activity on public lands by calling...

Friday morning MH-4 in The Dalles Unit moved to IFPL 3. A level 3 will mainly affect: -Hot saws are shut down at 1pm and must have an area observer and additional equipment and/or water close by.  If using a hot saw please read the attached document (Hot saw req.pdf) AND call me to discuss.  Our agency has discussed the idea of restricting hot saws altogether during a level 3, however we have decided that IF the precautions outlined in the attachment are followed closely we can prevent most fire starts; or in the event of a fire, the operator will have the...

August 10, 2016 Contact: Alison Green, Program Director     Project Wildfire, FireFree     541-419-1116 Deschutes County’s residents in the wildland urban interface (WUI) have been embracing their responsibility of living with wildfire for almost two decades. Now not only is Deschutes County proudly the home to the very first Firewise Community in the state but also to the 100th Firewise Community. Fall River Estates south of Sunriver was the very first Firewise Community in Oregon and Deschutes County twelve years ago. Squaw Creek...

[Central Oregon]  So far this year fires caused by lightning are significantly less than the ten year average in central Oregon.  After the last three challenging fire seasons which started early in the summer firefighters should feel relief, except human caused fires are on the rise both on ODF protected lands and on lands protected by our partners such as USFS, BLM and Rural Fire Districts.  August is typically the busiest part of fire season in Oregon and heading into the first weekend the forecast includes lightning.  Along with that forecast...

Click Map for Statewide Current Fire Restrictions STATE OF OREGONDEPARTMENT OF FORESTRY INDUSTRIAL FIRE PRECAUTION LEVEL 3CLOSEDOWN ORDER Number 03 Effective 12:01 a.m., PDT, July 29, 2016 By virtue of the authority vested in me by ORS 477.625, ORS 477.670, and OAR 629-043-0070, I hereby issue notice the following subject area is susceptible to damage by fire and proclaim Industrial Fire Precaution Level 3 to be in effect:All lands protected by the Central Oregon Forest Protection District, in regulated use area MH-1 and all forestland within one-eighth mile...

Click map for statewide map of current fire restrictions. STATE OF OREGON DEPARTMENT OF FORESTRY INDUSTRIAL FIRE PRECAUTION LEVEL 2 CLOSEDOWN ORDER  Number 02   Effective 10:00 a.m., PDT, July 25, 2016 By virtue of the authority vested in me by ORS 477.625, ORS 477.670, and OAR 629-043-0070, I hereby issue notice the following subject area is susceptible to damage by fire and proclaim Industrial Fire Precaution Level 2 to be in effect: All lands protected by the Central Oregon Forest Protection District, in regulated use areas MH-1 and MH-4 and all...

While central Oregon is in a pattern of cooler than normal weather, and has received precipitation over the last twenty-four hours, fire danger remains high.  The US Drought Monitor for Oregon issued on July 7, 2016, indicates that most lands within the Central Oregon District (COD) fall into the “abnormally dry” category.  This reflects what fire managers are seeing in the forest and current fuel moisture conditions.  Now into Oregon’s fifth year of drought conditions, we continue to see the long term affects to the down material and live vegetation...

[The Dalles Unit, Central Oregon District] - The Wassen Pond Fire was reported at about 7:30 p.m. on Sunday, July 3, burning four miles west of The Dalles on lands protected by the Oregon Department of Forestry and Mid-Columbia Fire and Rescue. The fire remains at 300 acres this morning (about 30 acres on ODF jurisdiction) and is 75 percent contained. Line construction will continue today to fully contain the fire. The fire is under Unified Command between ODF and MCFR. Cause remains under investigation.

 [The Dalles Unit, Central Oregon District] - The Wassen Pond Fire was reported at about 7:30 p.m. on Sunday, July 3, burning four miles west of The Dalles on lands protected by the Oregon Department of Forestry and Mid-Columbia Fire and Rescue.  The fire, under Unified Command between ODF and MCFR, is currently approximately 180 acres (with most of that acreage on MCFR), and hand- and dozer-lined.  Additional resources from ODF, rural fire departments in the area, and the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area are assisting with this...

Prineville, Ore—Lands protected by ODF’s Central Oregon District (COD) will be placed under a Regulated Use Closure beginning Friday July 1, 2016 at 12:01 am.  The Regulated Use Closure applies to private, county, and state owned lands protected by COD in Deschutes, Grant, Hood River, Wasco, Wheeler, Crook, Jefferson, Morrow, Harney, Umatilla, Lake, and Gilliam counties.  The intent of the Closure is to limit human caused wildfires.  Recent high temperatures have dried wildland fuels and increased the danger of large fire growth.  Human caused...

Sisters, Ore…Mop-up operations for the 2,094 acre Akawana Fire are near complete.  The fire is now 95% contained, with a 500 foot cold black line around most of the perimeter.  Smoke may continue to be visible from material burning in the interior of the fire for several weeks.  Cool, moist weather throughout central Oregon has aided firefighters during the mop-up activities, and reduced interior fire activity.  Firefighters experienced scattered showers over some parts of the fire today and the weather forecast calls for additional precipitation...

Akawana Fire update…Today firefighters continued mop up activities within the fire perimeter, working to extinguish flames and smoke within 500’ of the fireline.  Most of the work is complete, however smoke may be visible from smoldering stumps or burning material well in the interior of the fire perimeter.  Crews also worked hard today to remove the remaining fire hose from the fire line.  Mop-up will continue tomorrow.  The fire is now 90% contained with 2,094 acres burned.