Sean C. Morgan
As of Monday, fire season was still in effect, but fire officials are lifting restrictions and the end of the season is right around the corner.
“We’re not out of fire season yet,” said Craig Pettinger, acting Oregon Department of Forestry Sweet Home Unit forester. “But we are out of regulated use and we’ve dropped to fire precaution level I.”
The end of fire season is close, Pettinger said. Fire officials are waiting for a little more rain to finish soaking the heavy fuels.
More rain was anticipated for Monday night with a couple of nice days afterward and another system moving in over the weekend, Pettinger said. “It’s anybody’s guess, but we could be days away.”
Last week, fire crews were sitting around in T-shirts wondering if it would ever rain, and they’ve been busy.
The Sweet Home Unit has responded to 64 calls this year, Pettinger said. At the end of the month, the unit was at 50 calls. The biggest fire to date was one just west of Holley that burned nearly two acres. It was started by target shooting.
The majority of calls were abandoned campfires, and that continued through last week, Pettinger said.
The burn ban remained in effect as of Monday, but the ban is under discussion now. ODF is part of it along with the Linn County Fire Defense Board.
For more information about fire season and burning, contact the Sweet Home Unit at (541) 367-6108.