As of July 1, all Oregon Department of Forestry districts are now in fire season. This means that to reduce the risk of human-caused wildfires, fire restrictions may be in place where you live or at a destination you plan to visit or recreate.
ODF protects over 16 million acres of private, county, state, and federal land in Oregon from wildfire. Fire season is declared at the local level when conditions reach a point where the risk of a fire starting and spreading becomes clear. This year, the Southwest Oregon district was the first to declare on June 1, and the North Cascade District was the last to declare on July 1.
“We have already experienced several large fires in the state this year and anticipate fire behavior to be progressively more volatile. RIGHT NOW is the time to practice fire prevention and preparedness,” said Michael Curran, chief of Oregon Department of Forestry’s Fire Protection Division.
“Prevention is our No. 1 tool to reduce property loss, firefighting costs, and risk to the lives of our firefighters. We can’t prevent lightning fires, but we can prevent human-caused fires.”
Now is the time to brush up on your wildfire prevention knowledge. Tips include:
- Know before you go. Campfires may be banned or only allowed in approved campgrounds.
- Make sure your campfire is cool to the touch before going to sleep or leaving your site. Don’t forget to Drown, Stir, Repeat.
- Backyard debris burning either requires a burn permit during fire season or is prohibited altogether. If you burned earlier this spring, go back and check on your debris burn site to make sure nothing reignites due to the heat.
- Don’t flick a cigarette onto the ground. It may be just enough to start a fire.
- Don’t park or idle over dried grass.
- Do NOT drag tow chains.
- Check local restrictions and fire danger levels at www.oregon.gov/odf/fire.
For more information on how you can help prevent wildfires, visit keeporegongreen.org.