Sean C. Morgan
It may be October, but even after a storm system rolled through nearly two weeks ago, Sweet Home fire wildland fire officials want to remind the public that the wildfire danger persists and it’s still illegal to burn debris.
“We’re almost to the end of fire season, but we’re still in it,” said Craig Pettinger, unit forester with the the Oregon Department of Forestry Sweet Home Unit. Fire season is still in effect, as well as the more restrictive regulated-use rules, in the Sweet Home Unit, which encompasses the southern portion of Linn County.
The fire danger remains at moderate, while conditions used to determine the Industrial Fire Precaution Level were approaching II last week after dropping to I a week earlier.
Dry weather, with temperatures warming up into the 80s and low offshore wind flow, prompted ODF’s decision to extend fire safety restrictions, Pettinger said. Both Linn and Lane counties have extended their debris-burning bans till further notice.
Further notice is unlikely to come until the weather changes and rain arrives, said Forest Protection Supervisor Chad Calderwood.
The Sweet Home area will likely see some east wind early this month, Pettinger said. It won’t be like last month’s windstorm, which prompted multiple fire calls after branches fell on power lines; but even low-level east winds can dry out the fuels quickly.
This time of year, it’s hard to predict what’s going to happen more than four or five days out, Calderwood said.
At this point, no one is willing to forecast a big storm system, Pettinger said.
In the past couple of weeks, firefighters have been responding primarily to illegal debris burns, Pettinger said Friday.
“We just got back from chatting with somebody about that.”
Calderwood suggests that people cover their debris piles until the end of the burn ban. Covering them into the rainy season will help keep them ready to burn when the rain breaks.
The Sweet Home Unit has responded to a total of some 105 calls this year, Calderwood said. None of the fires have been large.
People are reporting smoke quickly, Pettinger said, and fire officials appreciate that.
In the meantime, the fire crew is now dwindling with the end of summer.
“We lost a lot of guys to school,” Petting said, seven so far.
The Sweet Home Unit still has one engine on every day and three on Saturday, Calderwood said.
Calderwood urges continued caution.
“We appreciate the public’s attention to help keep debris burning contained and safe and for being patient with us,” he said.
Restrictions have been lifted already on the Willamette National Forest.
The nearest major fire, the Deception Complex on the Middle Fork Ranger District, is now in repair, mop-up and patrol phase. It is 95 percent contained and expected to be 100 percent contained by Oct. 15. Just 15 personnel remain on the fire. The complex has scorched more than 6,000 acres.
More information on the fire safety rules can be obtained from the South Cascade District’s Sweet Home Unit office, (541) 367-6108, and on the web, http://www.oregon.gov/odf/pages/field/sh/aboutus.aspx.