Sean C. Morgan
Of The New Era
Fire season and regulated use officially took effect a minute after midnight Monday morning, June 17.
The annual burn ban began Saturday, June 15.
The designation applies to all lands protected by the South Cascade Forest Protection District, which includes the Sweet Home Unit, and all forestland within one-eighth mile of the border. The district includes most rural areas around Sweet Home, including Bureau of Land Management property along the Quartzville Corridor.
It’s a couple of weeks early, said Neil Miller, Sweet Home Unit forest protection supervisor, Friday. “I think it’s because the rest of the state has already been in fire season.”
“We’ve got folks working the weekend trying to get the signage out.”
The indicators of fire danger, such as fuel moisture, are running a couple of weeks ahead of schedule, Miller said. “Fire season is here. The fuels are dried out. The wind and the heat are here too.”
He anticipated the fire danger designation to be moderate.
“Predictive services has an above-normal (fire season), and moderate to severe potential for drought in western Oregon.”
Signs of it are already visible from Astoria to Tillamook, he said.
The Sweet Home Unit brought on its 14-member crew Monday, Miller said. The unit also is gearing up for the annual multi-agency fire school scheduled for June 24-28. Firefighter trainees will spend the week camped at Sweet Home High School taking classes. If weather permits, they’ll have live fire exercises on June 28 in the Jones Road area.
During regulated use, smoking is prohibited while traveling in forestlands except in vehicles on improved roads, in boats on the water and other designated areas. Debris burning, in piles or in burn barrels; fireworks; sky lanterns; and target practice with tracer rounds or exploding targets are prohibited at all times.
Campfires, including charcoal fires, cooking fires and warming fires, are restricted. They are allowed with landowner approval while fire danger is low. At moderate to high danger, they are allowed only at designated locations. At extreme, they are banned.
Portable cook stoves using liquefied or bottled fuel are allowed.
As the fire danger increases from low to extreme, the restrictions increase. For example, at moderate, mowing is allowed between 8 p.m. and 1 p.m. The restrictions do not apply in the city limits and on U.S. Forest Service land. The Sweet Home Fire and Ambulance District and the Forest Service will announce their own restrictions.
For more details about the restrictions, visit oregon.gov/ODF/Fire/Pages/Restrictions.aspx; Ore-gon Department of Forestry, South Cascade District, on Facebook; the South Cascade District Fire Blog at odfsouthcascade.com; or (541) 367-6108.
Restrictions
GREEN = Low fire danger
BLUE = Moderate fire danger
YELLOW = High fire danger
RED = Extreme fire danger
n No Smoking – Smoking is prohibited while traveling, except in vehicles on improved roads, in boats on the water, and at designated locations.
n No Open Fires – Open fires are prohibited, including campfires, charcoal fires, cooking fires, and warming fires, except in designated campgrounds. Portable cooking stoves using liquefied or bottled fuels are allowed.
n Non-Industrial Chainsaw Use – Chainsaw use is permitted all day during low fire danger (GREEN), before 1 p.m. and after 8 p.m. during moderate fire danger (BLUE), and before 10 a.m. and after 8 p.m. during high fire danger (YELLOW). The use of power saws is prohibited during extreme fire danger (RED). Each power saw is required to have one shovel and one fire extinguisher of at least 8 ounce capacity. A Fire watch of at least one hour is required following the use of each saw.
n Motorized Vehicles Off Road – Motor vehicles, including motorcycles and all terrain vehicles, are only allowed on improved roads free of flammable vegetation, except for the culture and harvest of agricultural crops.
n Required Equipment – Possession of the following firefighting equipment is required while traveling, except on state highways, county roads, and driveways: one shovel and one gallon of water or one 2½ pound or larger fire extinguisher. All-terrain vehicles and motorcycles must be equipped with one 2½ pound or larger fire extinguisher.
n No Fireworks – Use of fireworks is prohibited.
n Cutting, grinding, and welding of metal is permitted all day during low fire danger (GREEN), before 1 p.m. and after 8 p.m. during moderate fire danger (BLUE), before 10 a.m. and after 8 p.m. during high fire danger (YELLOW) as long as it is conducted in a cleared area and has a charged garden hose or one 2½ pound or larger fire extinguisher immediately available. This activity is prohibited during extreme fire danger (RED).
n Mowing dried cured grass with power driven equipment is permitted all day during low fire danger (GREEN), before 1 p.m. and after 8 p.m. during moderate fire danger (BLUE), before 10 a.m. and after 8 p.m. during high fire danger (YELLOW), and is prohibited during extreme fire danger (RED). The culture and harvest of agricultural crops is exempt from this requirement.
n All electric fence controllers in use shall be listed by nationally recognized laboratory or certified by the Department of Consumer and Business Services, and operated in compliance with manufacturer’s instructions.
n Any other spark-emitting internal combustion engne not specifically mentioned when conducted in a clear area and charged garden hose or one 2½ pound or larger fire extinguisher is immediately available is permitted all day during low fire danger (GREEN), before 1 p.m. and after 8 p.m. during moderate fire danger (BLUE), and before 10 a.m. and after 8 p.m. during high fire danger (YELLOW). This activity is prohibited during extreme fire danger (RED).
n Aside from these restrictions, also prohibited throughout fire season is backyard debris burning, the use of exploding targets and tracer ammunition.