Sean C. Morgan
‘Be careful,’ official warns as hot, dry weather continues
Fire managers throughout Oregon are feeling the heat.
With rain not expected until at least the end of the week, continued hot, dry weather is plaguing the region that could lead to a significant fire from a single spark.
The weather and fuels are dry, according to Chad Calderwood, Oregon Department of Forestry Sweet Home Unit forest protection supervisor. A half-acre fire last week near the intersection of Canyon Creek Road and Highway 20 showed just how dry it is right now.
Firefighters from the ODF and the Sweet Home Fire and Ambulance District responded to the fire at about 10 p.m. on Oct. 2. The U.S. Forest Service also sent an engine.
The cause of the fire is under investigation, Calderwood said.
“It burned actively,” Calderwood said. “People need to be careful.”
The fire was under control within about 30 minutes, Calderwood said. “The only challenge was it was in thick blackberries.”
And Canyon Creek is called Canyon Creek for a reason, he said. The slope to the creek is quite steep.
The response from multiple agencies helped tremendously to get the fire under control, Calderwood said.
The way the fire burned showed how dry things are now.
Friday, humidity was 11 to 15 percent, Calderood said. Fire danger was moving to “extreme,” with forecasts predicting east winds continuing through this week. The east winds will taper off, but there will still be a problem with humidity until the weather changes.
“This is the driest season in the Willamette Valley on record,” Calderwood said. It’s the longest period without rain, now well more than 100 days without significant rain.
Calderwood said that people need to check with private landowners before entering private forests. All of them except Cascade Timber Consulting have completely closed their forests. CTC has closed its gates and is prohibiting vehicles on the land it manages. CTC land is open only to walking, bicycling and horseback.
“People need to be extremely cautious,” Calderwood said.
A warm east wind event contributed to several fires on Oct. 3. Fire crews from the ODF, forest protective associations and rural fire departments worked overtime to contain grass and brush fires throughout the state fueled by winds in excess of 20 mph.
ODF and the Oregon Office of State Fire Marshal remind everyone that outdoor debris burning remains prohibited in most areas throughout the state during this period of high fire danger.
Campfires, while only allowed in designated campgrounds, should not be built at all under the current conditions.
In addition, motor vehicles are only allowed on improved roads that are free of flammable vegetation. For a complete list of restrictions in specific areas, log on to http://www.oregon.gov/ODF. A list of corporate land closures also can be found at the ODF website.
Finally, fire weather forecasters are predicting this continued warm and dry spell over the next week. Fire season will remain in effect until significant precipitation occurs to the point that the threat of a fire starting is close to nil.