The local level of fire danger will increase to “high” Friday, Aug. 12, the Oregon Department of Forestry announced Thursday.
“Like it or not, it is August and the weather seems to finally be acting normal, with warmer temps, so that means wildfire season is on,” said Neil Miller, ODF Wildland Fire Supervisor in the Sweet Home office.
After cooler temperatures and a quick shot of sprinkles earlier in the week, the energy release component rating was back at 35 on Thursday, Miller said.
“Additionally, the Bi-Mart Country Music Festival in Brownsville is currently in full swing through the weekend, so that adds another fire potential hazard to the mix with 20,000 extra people in the county,” Miller said. “We have a good plan in place to address this.”
During Regulated Use, restricted activities on ODF-protected lands between 10 a.m. and 8 p.m. include:
– No chainsaw use on private property within or within an eighth of a mile of ODF protection boundaries during those hours. Industrial Fire Protection Levels, which cover industrial timber harvest, chainsaw use, is addressed differently and does not affect the public.
– Mowing of dried and cured grass with mechanized machinery (brush hogs, mowers, metal-blade weeders) is also not allowed between listed hours.
“If the grass is watered and green in your yard within our district, you are good to mow, but who really wants to mow in the heat of the day?” Miller said. He added that commercial agriculture harvesting with tractors and combines, etc. is not regulated by ODF public use restrictions.