Sean C. Morgan
While the east side of the mountains are passing their peak fire season, the west side is just moving into the most dangerous time of year.
“It’s kind of mild, but we’re worried about two things,” Oregon Department of Forestry Sweet Home Unit Forester Lee Vaughn said. Last week, officials were concerned about possible lightning at the end of the week and clouds clearing and getting hotter through Sunday and Monday.
Relative humidity depends on the weather, and fire danger depends on relative humidity, Vaughn said. Recent rain was scattered in the Sweet Home area and only left a quarter inch one day at ODF’s Sweet Home station.
“It didn’t penetrate the canopies,” Vaughn said. Higher humidity, around 50 percent, dropped the Industrial Fire Protection Level to II, but he expected it to rise to III again quickly.
Big fuels were still at 11 to 13 percent moisture levels. Big fuels refers to three inches thickness or larger, Vaughn said. “That means if they caught on fire, they would be completely consumed.”
The smaller fuels vary more with relative humidity.
“We’re still having problems with people leaving abandoned campfires,” Vaughn said. Fire officials are also finding a few illegal burns, not a lot, but enough to cause them concern over those they don’t catch.
People should only light campfires where they are allowed, in designated camping areas and the metal fire rings along Quartzville, Vaughn said. When they leave the campfire, they should make sure it’s cold.
“We’re just counting the days, waiting for Labor Day weekend,” Vaughn said. That will cut down some of the potential fire danger as the area gets into its peak season, September through October.